Here’s To Another 150 Years
by Moaz Ahmed Here’s to another 150 years of glory of the FC College. Luckily my freshman year at FC College is the year of its 150th anniversary, which is nothing short of a remarkable achievement. The key to happiness in life, I used to believe, was to have blind faith in yourself and in God and in that good things will happen to you. This belief of mine became all the more intact when I became a Formanite. From my orientation day with the legend Ms Cheryl Burke to every day for the rest of my life, FC College will always be the best thing that ever happened to me. I grew up a dreamer. I would watch massive universities in films, with thousands of students, hostels, literally cities within cities. Such was the kind of university I dreamed of being a part of. And just stepping into FC College gave me the instant realization that not only would this hundred plus acres fulfill my dream, but would also be home to all my future dreams. And that is exactly what happened. I have always been a dreamer. I dream that FC College goes on glorifying the lives of thousands for another 150 years and more, as it has and as it will continue doing so. So here’s to every Formanite that is out there. Here’s to the thousands of trees and birds of FC College. Here’s to the Lucas Center, the Susheela Building, the Armacost Building. Here’s to all the alumni. Here’s to another 150...
Remembering Prof Jawaid Austin: A Red Box
by Amoon Austin I cleaned out my dad’s room after his departure from this world on 28 September 2013. I thought I knew him pretty well but this activity helped me discover new things about him. It was almost like his office could talk to me and tell me about the person that I knew very little about. He had a stack of very interesting journals, religious books, mathematics books, novels and very fine poetry collection all of which depicted those traits of his personality that I was well aware of. Some of the traits included how well organized he was, his love for literature (though he was a mathematics professor), his spirituality and cleanliness. In addition to the various things I found in his office, he also had a collection of his children’s achievements with little notes of appreciation written on them by him. I knew he loved me, but this particular discovery hit me hard, as the intensity of his love for his children sent a chill down my spine. Everything reminded me of various moments I spent with my father over the past 27 years. Writings, photos, objects and his books transported me back in time. While going through his possessions in his room at home, which had so much to tell, I opened his closet to give away his clothes to the poor. I looked at his suits and shoes, then shifted my attention to his dressing table where he kept his watch, ring and other items. I came across a bright red box – my first impression was that it would have some gold item in it. Within a few seconds I had made a long list of assumptions of what the box contained: gold ring, bracelet, chain, or maybe bangles for my mother. Breaking the long depressing silence my mom and I were working in, I told her that maybe it contained something for her as dad was so fond of surprising her all the time. A whirlpool of feelings washed over her, evident from her expression, as I handed her the box to open. To our surprise it was a coat pin, a souvenir from the 100-year celebration of Forman Christian College. At once she recalled her conversation with my father about the souvenir. She told me how excited my father was and really looking forward to FCC’s 150th anniversary in 2014. He was happy for two reasons: first, it was his 50 years batch celebration; and second, it was the college’s 150 years celebration. Then she got up, sifted through some more things that belonged to my father and emerged with...
Urdu Works of Dr Charles W Forman
By Prof Tahir Masood Forman Christian College, now a chartered university, is celebrating the 150th year of its establishment. At a time when the institution is gathering its best alumni and remembering yesteryears, it would be unfair to forget the work done by Dr Charles W Forman (1821-1894), the founder of Rang Mahal Mission School and The Mission College later named Forman Christian College, Lahore. The college was named after Dr Forman, who was a great educationist and linguist. Since 1849, when the British annexed Punjab, he spent a large part of his time in educational work. He was associated with the work of the Education Department from the time of its formation in 1856 and served on many educational committees, besides being a member of the Senate of the Punjab University College (1870) and Punjab University (1882) until his death in 1894. He was greatly distinguished as the “Most Experienced Teacher in Punjab”. In the beginning of January 1848, Dr Forman arrived in Calcutta. After a stay of a few months there and he went to Agra, where he developed an interest in native languages. His next destination was the newly-annexed territory of Punjab. He reached Lahore on 21 November 1849 accompanied by Rev John Newton (who afterwards became his father-in-law). They established a small Mission School on 19 December 1849, which was located outside Bhatti Gate, Lahore. Although it was an English-medium school, yet Dr Forman did not ignore the importance of Eastern languages and learning. He learnt numerous languages like Arabic, Sanskrit, Persian, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu and was a great admirer of Urdu language and literature. Maulvi Noor Ahmad Chishti, an eminent historian, was known as an expert in the teaching of Persian, Punjabi and Urdu languages to civil and military officers and the ruling elite who came to India in those days. He charged Rs 20 per month as tuition fee and devoted one hour daily to each student. About 2,000 foreigners learnt different native languages from him until his death in 1867. Dr Forman was also a student of Maulvi Noor Ahmad Chishti. Given his command and experience of Urdu, the Punjab Government appointed Dr Forman a senior member of the Textbook Committee on Urdu Books in 1873. Dr Forman wrote a large number of books in Urdu, a clear proof of his love for and devotion to the Urdu language. During my MPhil research in various libraries and archives, I came across a large number of published writings of Dr Forman, written during his 45-year stay in Punjab. Most of his published Urdu writings are on social and religious subjects. His writings...
We Never Looked Back!
by Dr Mary-Linda Armacost In June, 2002 Peter was offered and accepted the position of Principal of Forman Christian College. After two subsequent visits in 2002, he felt strongly that we needed to move to Lahore in order to prove to the government that we were serious about having the college denationalized. The Governor at the time was facing political difficulty in denationalizing a number of colleges all at once. We moved lock, stock and barrel, as they say, on January 11, 2003 and we never looked back. We could not have received a warmer welcome from the business community, the university community, the alumni and the Christian community. We were invited into people’s home for dinner and made to feel instantly welcome. There were forces, however, that clearly did not want the college to be denationalized. They were fearful that jobs would be lost and that the tuition would be raised. The government promised that all the faculty that did not stay at Forman would have jobs elsewhere. There still was a good deal of unrest, however. Groups visited our home several times, making threats and breaking a few things. A coffin was made with Peter’s name on it and taken around the Parliament Building. There was graffiti saying “Go back, Peter, Go Back!” However, it soon became clear that we could not be “frightened” and that we had no intention of leaving. The Government denationalized Forman Christian College on March 19, 2003 – a glorious day in the life of the college and in our lives. The next months were filled with activity – selecting new faculty and deciding on the staffing. Faculty and staff – Muslims and Christians – men and women – all worked together for the good of the College. It was determined very early on that one of the keys to success would be to become a university and to grant our own degrees. With the help of President Musharraf, this was granted in 2004! Looking back on that first year, my memories are of overwhelming gratitude to all within the college, the alumni, the Christians and the broader community who were so welcoming, so encouraging and so grateful to Peter for all he was doing. I was also incredibly proud of my husband – of the way he systematically worked with all constituencies of the college to achieve success and to do so under, at times, great pressure. Our ten years were a true gift to us – one we will never forget and never cease to be grateful for. This gratitude is for the Muslim and Christian communities – faculty, staff, alumni,...
Remembering the 100th Anniversary
by Manzur Sangam Gill In 1964 I was an MSc student of Physics of FCC, lived in Ewing Hall, but with classes in the old campus of Punjab University, near Anarkali. Living in Ewing Hall was wonderful: the classes were within ten minutes walking distance; in the evening, watching the pretty girls dressed in beautiful evening clothes in Anarkali Bazar was only three minutes walking distance. The President of Pakistan, Field Marshal Muhammad Ayub Khan, was going to be the chief guest at the main event of the centennial celebrations, and I was not going to miss the event for anything. Several of us from Ewing Hall came in the college bus well in advance. Come rain or shine the college bus was always on time. These were simpler times – the President of the country was going to attend the function, the students and guests were roaming around the campus, no guns or rifles or obtrusive security people were visible, there were no searches made as we entered the campus. It was a pleasant sunny midmorning, the grassy grounds and the hedges were all meticulously presentable as usual. The event was held in the main ground. Arriving at the scene were the President – most handsome and presentable specimen of a Pathan; accompanied by serious faced, awe-inspiring Malik Amir Muhammad Khan, Nawab of Kalabagh and Governor of West Pakistan, in his usual turban with a stiff turla pointing towards the sky; and the relatively small-framed, gentle and dignified Principal Dr E J Sinclair. The audience faced towards what is now Sinclair Hall, unlike these days when the audience face away from Sinclair Hall during the annual alumni reunion main event. I was so impressed by his photogenic face that when I left Pakistan for higher studies, I took a photograph of President Ayub to show off our president to the people abroad. The Principal gave the welcome address in his usual clear voice and professor-like tone, followed by the speech by the Chief Guest. The whole event was flawless and I was proud to be a Formanite. All photos from The Folio, Centenary Issue, Forman Christian College, Lahore, November 1964....
A Good Samaritan, Hatim Tai, and Formanite
By Manzur Sangam Gill One day in 1958, a young mother wanted to wear her favourite jora [set of clothes]. She searched for it everywhere in the house, but could not find it. When her young son returned from college she asked him about this favourite jora. He sheepishly told his mother that he had given it to the college mali [gardener]. The mali had pleaded for good clothes for his daughter’s wedding. The mother’s anger turned into mother’s love for her benevolent son. On another occasion, he came home from college without his trousers and jacket – it was winter and he was shivering. On the way home, the boy had felt sorry for an old man and had given his warm clothes to him. The mother has many similar stories about her son. As a second year FSc student, this young man got into an argument with another student and was ready to hit the other boy with a spanner. Dr Sheets, the Vice Principal, tried to intervene, but was told by the angry young man, “Get out of the way, Doctor”. You can well imagine what happened next: the young man was expelled from college. His father, bedridden because of backache, came to the college and pleaded with the Principal Dr Ewing, “Please give my son another chance otherwise he will become a vagabond.” The Principal reinstated the young man and kept an eye on him. That youngster of the 1950s is Dr Chaudhry Ahmed Saeed, President of the Formanites Alumni Association, and a benefactor of his alma mater – Forman Christian College. Many years later a fellow Formanite’s wife was terminally ill with cancer in California, bedridden but wanting to be in Pakistan, the land of her husband’s birth. I was that Formanite, and my wife Susheela could not travel by international airlines because of her condition. Thanks to Dr Chaudhry Sahib, she was flown by PIA to Lahore in comfort, and taken directly to Shalimar Hospital for medical care and to recover from jetlag. I have had the good fortune to have been associated with Dr Chaudhry Ahmed Saeed from 2004 to 2012, the years FCC was recovering from nearly 30 years of nationalization. He gave selflessly on countless occasions: counsel and contacts to the administration, financial help for needy students and building renovations, a leading player and donor in organizing yearly Alumni Reunions. He has been an extraordinary spokesperson for his alma mater. In biblical language he is a “good Samaritan“(someone who helps a stranger in dire need without knowing the person’s caste or creed and with no thought of reward) and a “Hatim...
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