Nashra Naim, a 22-year-old law student, created history on Friday by becoming the first woman vice-president of the Aligarh Muslim University Students Union (AMUSU) in an election that also saw the largest cohort of women candidates securing a place in the prestigious student body.
“A woman needs to create space for herself and I created it for myself. She is the first woman candidate to win any AMUSU chair position – that of president, vice-president, or secretary. Eight students were elected as cabinet members at WCSU. AMU vice-chancellor professor Naima Khatoon congratulated the newly elected office bearers, cabinet members and court representatives. She also welcomed the growing participation and representation of women, highlighting the importance of women’s empowerment.
Women candidates also won a record five of the 10 cabinet member posts, marking a significant increase in their representation in the students’ union from three elected in 2016. Since 1920, when AMU was established, no woman candidate has ever won a chair position at AMUSU. He added that 46 students filed nominations for the post of cabinet member, out of which seven were women. Here, Anam Riyaz was elected president with 806 votes. Ayesha Khan secured the vice-president’s post with 1,090 votes. Maryam Jan was elected honorary secretary with 862 votes. Juveriya Rehman topped the list with 1,485 votes, followed by Ameena Khanam (1,445), Hiba Manaal (1,325), Sabiha (1,251), Zakiya Murtaza (1,124), Khushboo Perween (1,118), Mehvish (1,081) and Fatima Hasan (1,079).
We had very few days to campaign, limited resources and few people to support the campaign but whosoever joined me, joined with commitment and this zeal to succeed paid off at last,” Naim said. AMU public relations officer Omar S Peerzada said nine candidates were in the fray for AMUSU’s president’s post, seven for vice-president, and three for honorary secretary. “Our students have once again shown how much they value the democratic process, and I am proud of the way they took part in it,” she said.
No incident of violence was reported during the election campaign. Amina Irshad, the lone woman candidate for president’s post, lost. “Maybe not this time, but I am happy that I took the initiative to break the trend and filed my nomination.
Someone needs to make a beginning, why not me?” she said.
