Hard Work Honoured: 250 Meritorious Students Receive Gold Medals, 26 Eminent Personalities Also Felicitated

From Education to Excellence: Progressive Community Honours Young Achievers and Distinguished Contributors

Dehradun: In a grand ceremony dedicated to education, talent, and social service, Progressive Community, Dehradun organized the “Talent Felicitation Ceremony–2026” at the Cultural Department Auditorium. Around 250 meritorious students who excelled in the High School and Intermediate examinations were honoured with mementos, gold medals, and certificates of appreciation. Additionally, 26 distinguished personalities from the fields of education, literature, law, journalism, medicine, sports, and social service were recognized with prestigious awards for their outstanding contributions to society.

The programme was presided over by renowned educationist and social worker Dr. Sarfaraz Hussain, while senior Congress leader Vaibhav Walia attended as the Chief Guest. The event was skillfully conducted by Dr. Riazul Hasan Siddiqui, Patron of Progressive Community.

Addressing the gathering, Chief Guest Vaibhav Walia congratulated the award-winning students and wished them a bright future. He stated that success comes through consistent hard work, discipline, and dedication to one’s goals. He encouraged students to remain focused on their ambitions and contribute positively to society and nation-building.

In his presidential address, Dr. Sarfaraz Hussain urged young people to become self-reliant. He emphasized that education should not merely be viewed as a means of securing employment but as a tool for developing awareness, critical thinking, and leadership qualities. He encouraged the youth to explore self-employment, entrepreneurship, and business opportunities.

Special speaker Associate Professor and Career Guide Dr. Afroz Iqbal provided valuable insights into educational and professional opportunities available to students. Highlighting future challenges and possibilities, he guided students on career planning and higher education. An interactive question-and-answer session was also held, during which students sought guidance regarding career choices, higher studies, and competitive examinations.

Dr. Nayyar Kazmi, State President of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), appreciated the efforts of Progressive Community and described the initiative as inspiring for the educational development of society. He urged students to pursue education with dedication, sincerity, and discipline.

Mohammad Munish of MCD Career & Guidance Centre, Roorkee, informed the audience about the institution’s efforts in providing free coaching and guidance to economically weaker students preparing for competitive examinations, enabling many of them to achieve success.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Jamshed Usmani, Secretary of Progressive Community, highlighted the organization’s objectives and its various educational and social welfare programmes. He remarked that the true purpose of education is not merely obtaining degrees but becoming a better human being. He encouraged students to uphold moral values and become responsible members of society.

Senior journalist Mohammad Saleem Saifi, recipient of the Maulvi Baqar Award, spoke about the significance of journalism and its social responsibilities. He described journalism as a powerful medium for creating awareness and bringing truth before society. He advised students to strive to become good human beings, avoid blindly imitating others, develop their own identity, and continuously work on enhancing their personality.

During the ceremony, several distinguished individuals were honoured for their remarkable contributions in various fields. The Maulvi Baqar Award was presented to senior journalist Mohammad Saleem Saifi. The Justice Agha Haider Award was conferred upon Advocate Anas Ali, Advocate Musa Khan, Advocate Farzan Ullah Usmani, Advocate Mohammad Suheb, and Advocate Umer Malik. The Engineer Abdur Rahman Award was presented to MCD Career & Guidance Centre, Roorkee.

The Sir Syed Award was conferred upon Noor Ilahi, Dr. Rehman Khan, Dr. Sudhir Pawar, and Areeb Khalid Farooqui. The Dr. Zakir Husain Award was presented to Engineer Shameem Ahmad Ansari, Mohammad Ikram Ansari, and Dr. M. S. Ansari. The Hakim Ajmal Khan Award was awarded to Hakim Ishrat Farooqui.

For contributions to literature, Syed Ziaul Hasan Zaidi “Zia Nehtauri” received the Dagh Dehlvi Award, while Khursheed Ali Khan “Nadeem Barni” was honoured with the Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib Award.

For academic excellence, Miss Zunaira Hashmi and Ubaid Ullah Kazmi received the Best Student Award. Syed Ibad Hassan and Ashraf Jamal Qureshi were honoured with the Best LLB Student Award. Adeeba Siddiqui, who earned a Ph.D. in English Literature from Aligarh Muslim University, received the Academic Excellence and Research Achievement Honour.

Mrs. Faza Ghazali and Syed Suhail Zameer Hussain were presented with the Law Career Commencement Honour, while Amaanullah Usmani received the Journalism Career Commencement Honour. Amjad Usmani, CEO of the Uttarakhand Tennis Ball Cricket Association, was honoured with the Captain Zafar Iqbal Award for his notable contribution to sports.

The prize distribution ceremony was efficiently anchored by Miss Aiman Siddiqui, whose efforts were highly appreciated by the audience.

The success of the programme was made possible through the dedicated efforts of Mohammad Sabir Siddiqui, Advocate Syed Suhail Zameer, Arif Siddiqui, Khalid Farooqui, Ashraf Hashmi, Advocate Danish Ghazali, Mohammad Ikram Ansari, Syed Iram Naaz, Miss Seher Khan, and Dr. Shagufta Jahan, among many others.

A large number of students, parents, teachers, social workers, and distinguished citizens attended the event. The ceremony concluded with prayers and best wishes for the bright future of the honoured students and the continued progress of society.