On 15th September 2025, the Advanced Centre for Women’s Studies (ACWS), Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), in collaboration with the Inclusive Futures Foundation, successfully launched its lecture series, “Inclusive Futures Dialogue”. The inaugural lecture, titled “Reimagining Education: Mother Tongue, Orality and Literacy Under NEP 2020,” was delivered by the distinguished Professor Imtiaz Hasnain, former Dean of the Faculty of Arts at AMU.
Dr Juhi Gupta, Senior Assistant Professor, ACWS, and President, Inclusive Futures Foundation, opened the Dialogue, noting that it was taking place on the International Day of Democracy (September 15th). Dr Gupta emphasized the symbolism of the tree plantation ceremony which began the event, connecting nature’s nurturing with the growth of knowledge and democracy. Dr Gupta welcomed participants and introduced Professor Imtiaz Hasnain and Professor Zakia Ather Siddiqui.
Professor Hasnain’s talk focused on the foundational principles of the National Education Policy (NEP 2020). Professor Imtiaz Hasnain examined NEP 2020 through decolonial and multilingual turns, critiquing colonial terminology like “mother tongue” and “monolingualism.” Hasnain emphasized that language encodes culture and worldview, citing examples from tribal languages like Great Andamanese. Professor Hasnain’s insightful and engaging lecture provided a new perspective on how to achieve educational equity and inclusivity in a diverse country like India.
Following the lecture, Professor Zakia Ather Siddiqui, the founder of the Advanced Centre for Women’s Studies at AMU and OSD of Aligarh Public School, delivered the presidential remarks. Professor Siddiqui emphasized practical literacy challenges, advocating for universal primary education as every child’s right. She advocated storytelling sessions and preventing child labour, stressing that literacy forms any country’s backbone and requires collective action for inclusive education. She commended Professor Hasnain for his illuminating discourse and emphasised the importance of such dialogues in creating a more equitable and just society.
Professor Azra Musavi, Director, Advanced Centre for Women’s Studies, delivered the vote of thanks, reflecting on linguistic diversity and inclusive education. Professor Musavi praised Professor Hasnain’s insight and wisdom, noting the difficulty of learning regional languages like Marathi while stressing the importance of honouring one’s native language without embarrassment. She thanked Professor Siddiqui for her role in founding the ACWS and commended event organisers and all participants for their interest and commitment.
The event, held at the Advanced Centre for Women’s Studies, saw the participation of more than 80 attendees, including students, members of the community and senior faculty members including Professor Parvez Talib, Professor Raashid Nehal, Professor Aysha Munira Rasheed, Dr Faiza Abbasi, Dr Taher Pathan, Dr Syed Salman Abbas along with the faculty members of ACWS. The event had begun with a symbolic gesture of commitment to a sustainable and inclusive future. Professor Hasnain and Professor Siddiqui participated in a tree plantation drive on the campus of the Advanced Centre for Women’s Studies. This act underscored the importance of nurturing both intellectual and natural environments for future generations.
The inaugural lecture of the “Inclusive Futures Dialogue” series was a resounding success. It not only provided a platform for intellectual discourse on a pressing topic but also demonstrated a shared commitment to building a more inclusive and sustainable future.
