Malick Asghar Hashmi/ New Delhi

The Indian Islamic Cultural Centre (IICC) which is in the news for the upcoming election of its governing body, was meant to provide affordable accommodation and a study center to the Muslim youth coming from neighbouring areas, especially Aligarh, to the national capital for preparing for competitive examinations for high-ranking jobs.

Former bureaucrat Abrar Ahmed, who is contesting for the post of President of IICC in the elections due on August 11, said that in 1980-81 when Muslims all over the world were celebrating the turn of the 14th Hijri - the Islamic calendar - a large number of students living in Delhi and preparing for competitive examinations conceived the idea of ​​a community center and tentatively called it "India Islamic Center.".

Abrar Ahmed who is among the founding members of the IICC, told Awaz-the Voice that he was part of the group that met the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi with the proposal for a study-cum-accomodation center in Delhi. She quickly agreed to allot land for the project.

"It was proposed as the India Islamic Center and Indira Gandhi inserted 'Cultural' in its nomenclature. It was her handwritten correction on the proposal and this name was adopted," he said.

In a conversation with Awaz-the Voice, Abrar Ahmed, who retired from the Indian revenue service, revealed that the institution was at the verge of loosing this prime land at least twice. 

Abrar Ahmed at a function

Interestingly, Abrar says, when the construction of the IICC was inordinately delayed the government had almost decided to cancel the land allotment. He was a central government officer based in New Delhi and somehow came to know about the impending cancellation of the allotment. "I ran from pillar to see that the order of cancellation is axed," he said.

He was involved in the process of allotment and registration of land, making rules and regulations of the organization, and deciding the policy, etc.

Interestingly, Rs 10 lakh was paid by Hakim Abdul Hameed, the owner of Hamdard India, a leading Unani and Ayurvedic products company and a household name for its Rooh-Azfa sherbet concentrate in India for the land.

“After that, the rush began. The alumni of Aligarh Muslim University became quite active in the project. Abrar Ahmed, who hails from the Hamirpur district of Uttar Pradesh is also an alumnus of the AMU.

He said back then, small works of IICC were done by donations. However, now there was a sense of urgency to construct the building of the IICC. He was part of the team that worked hard to raise Rs. 10 crore in the 90s through donations.

Abrar Ahmed narrated an interesting incident of those days.

Abrar Ahmed

He said after he got the land cancellation was stopped, he and others were in for a shock when Hakeem Abdul Hameed staked his claim to the land. "He was instigated by some people. Hakeem Abdul Hameed said he would set up a research center for Hamdard on this land. He claimed that since he paid for the land, it rightfully belonged to him."

Abrar Ahmed said everyone present in that meeting was too stunned to react. However, he opposed it in strong words and told Hakeem that the land was a trust of the community. "Only the IICC building will be built here," I told him clearly.

He said back then, small works of IICC were done by donations. However, now there was a sense of urgency to construct the building of the IICC. He was part of the team that worked hard to raise Rs. 10 crore in the 90s through donations.

Abrar Ahmed narrated an interesting incident of those days.

India islamic Cultural Center

He said after he got the land cancellation was stopped, he and others were in for a shock when Hakeem Abdul Hameed staked his claim to the land. "He was instigated by some people. Hakeem Abdul Hameed said he would set up a research center for Hamdard on this land. He claimed that since he paid for the land, it rightfully belonged to him."

Abrar Ahmed said everyone present in that meeting was too stunned to react. However, he opposed it in strong words and told Hakeem that the land was a trust of the community. "Only the IICC building will be built here," I told him clearly.Abrar Ahmed says that later he and his colleagues went to Hakim Abdul Hameed's house. They apologized to him for speaking loudly in the meeting. They also explained to him that he had indeed paid Rs 10 lakh for the land which was a donation for the cause and the land is registered in the name of IICC. He cannot open Hamdard's research center here.

After a lot of persuasion, Hakim Abdul Hameed understood his point.

He soon went into raising Rs 10 crore for building the IICC on the 72,000 square feet in the Letyen's zone in New Delhi.

Abrar Ahmed mentioned that back then hordes of youth aspiring to crack the top-end competitive examinations came to Delhi to prepare for sitting in these. They stayed in the mansion of the then Lok Sabha member from Mewat Chaudhary Tayyab Hussain.

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Interestingly, the original thought behind IICC never took off and today it stands as a social club with Members from officialdom, businessmen, and other influential people, mostly Muslims.