Ismaili.NET - Heritage F.I.E.L.D.

Your Excellency the President, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

It gives me profound pleasure to be in Versova again to open the housing project which I inaugurated here almost exactly five years ago and to be performing the ceremony in the presence of such distinguished guests.

The Trustees of the Muniwarabad Charitable Trust and I are most happy and honoured to have His Excellency the President with us this morning. It is indeed a privilege and a very great encouragement to have him here.

Your Excellencies, Honourable Ministers, President Morani and Members of my Federal Council for India, Distinguished guests

The Ismaili sect, with its social and theologically liberal outlook, is probably the most progressive in the Islamic world. Spread over four continents its adherents are guided by their high profile Imam, Prince Karim Aga Khan.
Pranay Gupte profiles the life and philosophy of the unlikely patriarch. And his image of a new world order based on free enterprise.

Under bright blue skies, Mowlana Hazar Imam descended the steps of his aircraft onto a red carpet at Bombay's Santa Cruz Airport on Monday, November 9th, 1992 at the start of a 15 day visit to India as a guest of the Government of India. Warm sunlight favoured the scene as Hazar Imam was officially received by Professor Javed Khan, then Minister for Protocol and Housing in the Government of Maharashtra and other State Government officials. Jamati leaders, resplendent in their gold pagris and red jabbas, respectfully welcomed Mowlana Hazar Imam on behalf of the India jamat.

Since last March, Princess Zahra has continued her working sessions with officers of jamati institutions world-wide as they relate to the Women's, Youth, and Social Welfare portfolios. Visiting each country has permitted Princess Zahra to obtain a sense of the environment in which the work of the institutions is being carried out.

H. H. The Aga Khans Interview With Aroon Purie The Editor Of India Today During H.H. The Aga Khans Recently Holy Visit To India.

Q. Your Highness, you are the Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims. It s a hereditary title. Have you ever felt burdened by being so, the 49th hereditary Imam? You are the direct descendent from the Prophet; you became the Imam at the age of 20. Did it ever come up for you where you were a reluctant Imam in any way?

Mowlana Hazar Imam and Prince Amyn Mohammed landed at Bombay on 21st February, 1969. The occasion for this present visit was to hand over to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Fund through the Government of India the historic Aga Khan Palace at Poona. During the 6 days visit, Mowlana Hazar Imam was the official guest of Government of India and was received at the airport by Officials of both Government of India and the Government of Maharashtra. The leaders of the Ismaili Community were also at Airport and Mowlana Hazar Imam's first inquiry on landing was to know the welfare of the Jamats.

Mr President, Gentlemen

The topic I have chosen to talk to you about is wide and much too complicated to deal with fully in twenty minutes. I hope, however, to give you a sketch of what has been happening in East Africa during the last year or two, and in particular to give an idea of the role which the Asian communities have played, and the one which they have to play, whether they desire to or not, in the future.

Mawlana Hazar Imam and Her Highness Begum Salimah Saheba were felicitated at a join meeting of the Rotary Clubs of Bombay. New Bombay and Thane at Oberoi-Sheraton Hotel on Wednesday, 25th January,1978 when Mawlana Hazar Imam was presented a memento by Rotary International Director Soli Pavri. Following is the text of the speech delivered by Mawlana Hazar Imam on that occasion.
Mr. Chairman, Presidents and Members of the Rotary clubs, Ladies and Gentlemen.

I cannot begin this reply to your welcome address without expressing my gratitude to the leaders and governments of this city, of Bombay State and of all India for the kindness with which they have received me. This is a very special occasion for the Ismailis of India, and I speak for them all when I say how much I have appreciated the friendly co-operation which my community has received in the many details of preparation. I would specially like to thank His Excellency the Governor, the Chief Minister and his colleagues, the Chief Justice and the Commissioner of Police.

Hazir Imam and Mrs. Gandhi Inaugurate Centre in New DelhiMowlana Hazir Imam was the guest of honor at the inauguration of the All India Women's Conference Building by Mrs. Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India, on the 26th March 1980 in New Delhi. The ceremony was held to coincide with the All Womens' Conferences' 48th annual session. This session wad formally opened by Begum Salimah in their newly constructed Conference Hall which they had decided to name 'Aga Khan Hall'.

On 16th October 1961, the Maharashtra Friendship Society held a reception at Bombay (Bharat) in honour of His Royal Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan.

Speaking on that occasion, His Royal Highness pleaded for world peace and hoped that the statesmen of the world would do everything in their power to prevent a global war. The full text of the speech is given below.

Mr. Chairman, Chief Minister, Your Worship the Mayor, Sheriff of Bombay, Ladies and Gentlemen:

Between February 2-14, 1989 Mawlana Hazar Imam visited India as a guest of the Indian Government. The visit, primarily to meet the Jamat of Gujurat, also included visits to Bombay and New Delhi. In Gujarat Mawlana Hazar Imam met the Jamat in Bhavnagar, Rajkot, Ahmedabad, Sidhpur and Malia Hatina.

Jamatkhana in Junagadh in Ismaili Society

Very old Jamatkhana.
Houses The Regional Council of India.

Imam Aga Ali Shah is reported to have told to the Junagadh jamat to recite daily the tasbih of Ya Ali Ya Muhammad and salwat for 14 times in the Jamatkhana in the name of Varas Ismail Gangji and pray for him. Later on, Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah included the names of Varas Kassim and Itmadi Ibrahim in the tasbih. This practice is still operative only in Junagadh Jamatkhana. It indicates the great and incredible services of the Gangji family for the Imam and the jamat.

The Petronas Towers and a project to revitalise Old Jerusalem were among seven architectural achievements named as winners of the 2004 Aga Khan award for architecture.The prizes were presented by the Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the world's 15 million Shia Ismaili Muslims, yesterday.

Mughal emperor Humayun's mausoleum here, said to be the Indian subcontinent's first garden tomb, reopens Tuesday after a $650,000 (Rs 31 million) facelift that has added scintillating lights, refreshed fountains and made the tourist site disabled-friendly.
The 16th century monument was renovated under a programme taken up jointly by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the Aga Khan Foundation for Culture and the Oberoi Group of Hotels.

The Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, began a six-day official visit to India Monday during which he will meet Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and President Abdul Kalam, officials said.It is his first visit to India in 11 years. He will meet Kalam and Vajpayee later Monday and is also expected to meet deputy premier Lal Krishna Advani and Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha, an Indian government official said.