KARACHI, Nov 22: Engineer Abul Kalam may no longer be around but the mowed lawns, trimmed hedges and clean landscape along with the programme starting right on time proved that not much has changed at the NED University of Engineering and Technology since his departure.

“I’m honoured to be invited to this university where my husband spent so many years. It is looking so nice thanks to the new vice chancellor. I wish this university will always prosper. I will always pray for it,” said Mrs Abul Kalam at the inauguration of the plaque for the Engr Abul Kalam Library at the Central Library Hall at the university’s main campus here on Friday.

Pro-VC-I Dr Muzaffar Mahmood recalled feelings before Engr Kalam’s coming to the university 16 years ago. “Everyone here wondered how he would fit in here after working with the government. But our first meeting with him made us realise that the man meant business, was serious about everything that he said and could make decisions that he also abided by,” he said.

“I also remember his fine sense of humour. Once when he fell ill and had to take leave from office for several days, I informed him on his return that many thought he would not come back and that we also had 25 aspirants to take his place. And then when I was passed by his office, he smiled at me and asked, ‘Shall I give you the name of the 26th?’”, he shared.

NED’s VC Prof Dr Mohammad Afzal Haque said that as a student at NED University he visited the shipyard along with his batch mates. “Engr Abul Kalam headed the Karachi Shipyard and everyone there seemed afraid of him. We learned this was due to his being a strict disciplinarian. Still everyone respected him, too, as he was able to turn around the shipyard,” he said.

“He was NED’s fifth VC and joined in 1996 to step down earlier this year. NED earlier only had seven or eight departments but thanks to him we have 25 today. He is also responsible for starting postgraduate research here. I have not had the fortune of working with Engr Abul Kalam but I am glad that he was my immediate predecessor. I know I have some big shoes to fill,” he added.

“It was the university syndicate that decided to honour our longest-serving VC and recognise his services by naming the library after him,” he concluded.

Giving the vote of thanks, Prof Dr S.F.A. Rafeeqi, the pro-vice chancellor-11, said that there was always something to learn from Engr Abul Kalam. “His yesteryear values never went unnoticed,” he said.

At the curtain raiser ceremony of the plaque, its designer, Associate Professor Fariha A. Ubaid from the Department of Architecture and Planning told Dawn that she wanted to come up with something simple, modest, neat and clean to represent Engr Abul Kalam. The terracotta columns, citation in white on a blackboard and the longest-serving VC’s picture impression (prepared by Hameed Umar of the Karachi School of Arts) in the middle, is very simply done, yet it adds to and fits in with the architecture of NED University.