Lucknow: The Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) authorities have set-up an expert committee to retrieve a ‘time capsule’ buried 143 years ago by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan at the time of foundation laying for Mohammedan Anglo Oriental (MAO) College.
Earlier, the AMU had buried a ‘time capsule’ to mark 100 golden years of the institution. The ‘time capsule’, built with high tempered steel, was buried at Victoria Gate on the Republic Day on January 26. Weighing about 1.5 tons, it carries documents on chemical-free paper pertaining to 100 years of glorious history of the university, founded by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan in 1920.
The documents include the Prime Minister Speech on January 23 on completion of 100 years of AMU, postage stamp released on the occasion, album of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, AMU’s achievements and its history in chronological order, list of V-Cs, history of Aligarh and MAO College, Dr Abdul Kalam’s convocation day speech, several books, important research papers in Urdu, English and Hindi and several other documents etc. to depict AMU’s 100-year journey.
“The idea is to preserve the university’s glorious past for next 100 years,” Prof Tariq Mansoor had stated on the Republic day while burying the time capsule beneath 30 feet ground at the Victoria Gate in the university campus.
The AMU Assistant PRO Rahat Abrar told that after burial of the time capsule, the VC has now formed a high-level committee to dig out the time capsule buried on January 8, 1877 by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan beneath Strachey Hall while laying foundation for MAO College in the presence of then Viceroy Lord Lytton.
The committee included experts from university’s departments of remote sensing, history, mechanical engineering, GIS, Computer Science etc. “Experts from these departments will suggest ways and means to dig out the 143-year-old time capsule beneath Strachey Hall without causing any damage to surrounding buildings,” he said
If needed, the university will also seek help from the Archaeological Survey of India to press electro-magnetic radar in locating the capsule.
“We are all curious to know what documents were buried in 1877 by the university founder,” said a professor.
