The Aligarh Muslim University Alumni of Australia (AMUAA) raised $55,000 for school and college scholarships at its 34th annual Sir Syed Day Dinner in Sydney on Saturday, 7 November 2026. The money goes to the association’s Sir Syed Scholarship Program, which this year completes 30 years of helping poor students in Aligarh, Delhi and other parts of India stay in school.
More than 250 members, families and guests gathered at Bowman Hall in Blacktown, western Sydney, for the evening. The association says it now supports nearly 1,000 students, from primary school to university.
At a glance
- Event: 34th Annual Sir Syed Day Dinner and Fundraiser, AMU Alumni of Australia
- Date: Saturday, 7 November 2026
- Venue: Bowman Hall, Blacktown, Sydney
- Raised on the night: $55,000 for scholarships
- Scholarships given in 2025-26: about $94,500, to more than 800 students
- Honoured: Zia Ahmad OAM, with the AMU Alumni Recognition Award
- Chief guest: Warren Kirby MP, Member for Riverstone
Thirty years of the Sir Syed Scholarship Program
AMUAA President Siraj Akhtar told the gathering that the association gave its first scholarship in 1996. Three decades later, the programme reaches nearly 1,000 students across several schools. He recalled his 2024 visit to Hamara School in Aligarh, where children crowded around him with questions, and said the moment moved him to tears.
Also readAMU Alumni in Edmonton to Hold Sir Syed Day Dinner on 14 November 2026
In 2025-26 the association gave out about $94,500 in scholarships, almost double the previous year, to more than 800 students. Around 69 per cent went to school education, 20 per cent to vocational training and 11 per cent to university studies. The association says 85 cents of every donated dollar reaches its projects directly.
The scholarships first went to deserving students at AMU. Over time they expanded to Jamia Millia Islamia and to schools such as Hamara School and Khadija School. A video shown at the dinner featured former Hamara School student Mohammad Arif, who now runs his own business, Wood & Craft, and another former student who studied engineering at Jamia and went on to become a company CEO.
Award for Zia Ahmad OAM
Former AMUAA President Saba Rasheed presented the AMU Alumni Recognition Award to Ziaul Islam (Zia) Ahmad OAM. He received the Medal of the Order of Australia in the King’s Birthday Honours on 8 June 2026 for service to journalism and to the Muslim community.
Mr Ahmad moved from India to Australia in 1971 and worked as a biochemist at the University of Sydney for more than 40 years. He edits a Sydney-based community newspaper and helped set up several community bodies, including the AMU Alumni of Australia itself.
In his speech he spoke about how Sir Syed Ahmad Khan answered the ruin that followed 1857. “Instead of seeking revenge, he chose education,” he said. He praised the Australian Aligs for turning what began as social evenings and mushairas into real support for poor students.
Guests and the Aligarh touch
Chief guest Warren Kirby MP said talented children from poor families do not lack ability, only opportunity. Blacktown Mayor Brad Bunting JP, Blacktown Councillor Moninder Singh and Campbelltown Councillor Masud Khalil also attended.
A youth team led by Rifa Jamal, with Ilma and Labib on stage, ran the fundraising appeal after the Maghrib break. The evening opened with a Quran recitation by young Shuaib Warsi and closed, as Alig gatherings do everywhere, with the AMU Tarana sung by alumni, followed by dinner and Urdu ghazals. Iram Rasheed was the host and Secretary Dr Mohammed Mashood Khan gave the vote of thanks. The association thanked its 17 sponsors.
How to support
Aligs in Australia who want to give to the Sir Syed Scholarship Program can donate through the AMU Alumni of Australia website. The association says donations are tax deductible in Australia.
Sir Syed Day dinners are being held by Alig associations across the world this season. Read about the AMU Alumni Association Qatar’s Sir Syed Day 2026 and the Edmonton dinner in Canada, or revisit why AMU celebrates Sir Syed Day on 17 October.
Frequently asked questions
How much did AMU alumni in Australia raise on Sir Syed Day 2026?
The AMU Alumni of Australia raised $55,000 for its Sir Syed Scholarship Program at the dinner on 7 November 2026 in Blacktown, Sydney.
What is the AMUAA Sir Syed Scholarship Program?
It is a scholarship fund started by AMU alumni in Australia in 1996. It supports poor students in Aligarh, Delhi and elsewhere in India, from primary school to university, and now reaches nearly 1,000 students.
Who received the AMU Alumni Recognition Award in Australia this year?
Zia Ahmad OAM, a former University of Sydney biochemist and community journalist, received the award. He was given the Medal of the Order of Australia in June 2026.
Can I donate to the scholarship from India?
Donations are taken through the AMU Alumni of Australia website. The tax deduction applies in Australia; check with the association for giving from other countries.
