His Highness, Aga Khan, Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, and founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network, arrived in Ahmedabad on the second stop of his official 10-day visit to the country, at the invitation of the Indian Government. He met Gujarat Governor Om Prakash Kohli and Chief Minister Vijay Rupani while in the state. The visit coincided with the commemoration of His Highness, the Aga Khan's Diamond Jubilee.
Aga Khan's Jubilees have traditionally served as opportunities to launch or advance social, cultural, and economic development projects, including development of hospitals, schools, universities, and financial institutions that serve people of all backgrounds and faiths. Khan, along with Indian Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, inaugurated Sunder Nursery, on February 21, a new city park in the National Capital, sprawled across 90 acres of land.
The Aga Khan Development Network has a special connection and history with India, particularly Gujarat. The first Aga Khan School was established in Mundra in 1905. The Aga Khan Education Services (AKES) was built later, and today it manages close to 30 schools and early childhood development centres in Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Telangana.
Telangana visit
Aga Khan arrived in Hyderabad on Tuesday and was received at the airport by Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali. During his visit to Hyderabad, His Highness will meet Lakhsmi Narasimhan, Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Telengana as well as Mohammed Mahmood Ali.
In 2013, His Highness the Aga Khan inaugurated the Aga Khan Academy in Hyderabad, the second in a global network of day and residential schools being established across South and Central Asia, Africa and the Middle East. It was built on land donated by the Government of Andhra Pradesh and provides talented girls and boys from all backgrounds with an all-round education.
Based on the widely-recognised International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, the Academy’s programme has been designed to promote academic excellence, leadership skills, social responsibility and a pluralistic outlook. The aim of the Aga Khan Academy, Hyderabad, is to develop home-grown leaders with a strong sense of ethics and civic responsibility, who will contribute to India’s future. By intentionally bringing a diverse group of students to study and live together, the Academy aims to help build understanding and respect across diverse sectors of society.
