Cultural and Scientific Cooperation: Signing of the MoU between the Cultural House of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Mumbai and the GM Momin Women's College in Bhiwandi

Following previous correspondence and meetings regarding cultural and scientific collaboration, a ceremony was held to celebrate Eid al-Fitr and to sign a bilateral memorandum of understanding between the Cultural House of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Mumbai and the GM Momin Women's in Bhiwandi, attended by faculty and students.

The ceremony began with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran. Subsequently, Dr. Tabassum Sheikh, the Principal of the Momin College in Bhiwandi, welcomed the attendees and provided an overview of the Momin Trust and the Women’s College. She explained that the Momin College, affiliated with the Trust, was established in 1927 with the aim of educating women and enhancing the status of Muslim women. Since its inception, the college has successfully improved both the quantity and quality of its educational offerings, currently serving 1,900 female students. Dr. Sheikh noted that the Trust operates various educational institutions and schools, collectively serving 26,000 students. The college is affiliated with the University of Mumbai, which allows for very affordable tuition fees, making it accessible for all. Additionally, the college boasts a well-equipped library with 23,000 volumes and other publications, available for students and researchers in all fields.

Dr. Tabassum Sheikh highlighted the college's achievement of ranking first among 900 colleges under the University of Mumbai in 2022, attributing this success to the hard work of teachers and the dedication of students. Last year, a student from this college achieved the top score in the specialized physics exam in Mumbai. She emphasized that the collaboration between the Cultural House of Iran and the college could provide a suitable platform for enhancing the skills of both faculty and students.

Following this, tokens of appreciation were presented in the form of shawls and certificates. Mr. Mohammad Reza Fazel, the cultural attaché and head of the Cultural House of the Islamic Republic of Iran, congratulated everyone on Eid al-Fitr and expressed his pleasure at being among the Trust, faculty, and students. He stated that the Cultural House of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Mumbai, with over seventy years of experience in various cultural and educational activities, has established a significant presence among educational institutions. Today, it conducts programs in various educational centres that attract the attention of faculty, students, and interested parties, citing recent programs at institutions such as Nagpur Government College and Aurangabad.

The cultural representative of our country in Mumbai added that the historical ties between Iran and India, along with the cultural commonalities, have facilitated exchanges between the two nations over centuries, and he hopes that the significance of these relations will continue to grow. This memorandum is viewed as a long-term program between the college and the Cultural House, under which various cultural and educational activities can be organized. The Cultural House of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Mumbai also provides academic scholarships, and under this memorandum, students can submit their applications to the Cultural House, except for medical fields.

The head of the physics department at Momin College expressed gratitude to the college Principal and the cultural attaché of the Cultural House of the Islamic Republic of Iran.