Shaik Aayesha: First Female Presidential Candidate Of Hyd University

RSS student wing, ABVP has nominated Shaik Aayesha as their candidate for the president's position in the University of Hyderabad (UoH) Students Union elections. She is ABVP's first female Muslim candidate. Know about her here.

The move by the students' wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), to nominate Shaik Aayesha as their candidate for the president's position in the University of Hyderabad (UoH) Students Union elections has garnered attention.

This marks the first instance of ABVP presenting a female Muslim candidate in the elections at the central university.

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Shaik Aayesha as our President.

Time for Change at University of Hyderabad! Students demand a capable, responsible, and effective Student Union. ABVP is the hope for a brighter future. Let's restore the dignity of the Student Union together! pic.twitter.com/Cem27w13LJ
— ABVP HCU (@abvphcu) November 5, 2023

Election Details

As reported by The Indian Express, in the upcoming election, Aayesha will be competing against three candidates, including Mohammed Ateeq Ahmed, who has been nominated by a coalition of diverse student organizations, such as the Students Federation of India, Ambedkar Students Association, and Tribal Students Forum (SFI-ASA-TSF).

The decision by ABVP to field Aayesha has garnered significant attention, overshadowing various pressing issues, ranging from student amenities to fellowships, in the discourse surrounding the UoH polls. The ABVP is participating in the elections in collaboration with the Seva Lal Vidyarthi Dal (SLVD).

The student wing of the Congress party, NSUI, has nominated Amal Jose Philip for the presidency. His team will focus on gaining recognition for student societies and clubs, organizing cultural events, developing a policy for gender and sexual minorities, enhancing the library, and implementing a standard operating procedure for managing hostel messes.

Who Is Shaik Aayesha?

Aayesha, who is originally from Vizag, is currently pursuing a PhD in the Chemistry department. She is the vice president of the ABVP unit on the university campus. Despite rival student organizations characterizing her candidacy as "token representation" and "minority appeasement," the ABVP asserts that she has been an active member for several years and one of its "most vocal" activists on the campus in the last two years.

Shravan B Raj, a research scholar and member of ABVP's central working committee, emphasizes that Aayesha, as the first Muslim woman to vie for the post of president in the university's history, deserves respect for her ground-level activism.

Describing her nomination as a surprise, the 24-year-old Aayesha identifies women empowerment, campus infrastructure enhancement, and fostering a harmonious atmosphere as key issues for the polls. She attributes her attraction to ABVP to its "nation-first" principle, emphasizing the organization's provision of space for socially committed nationalist student activism. Aayesha asserts that she represents the inclusive nature of ABVP.

Aayesha's Promises

As the sole female candidate running for president, Aayesha pledges to install sanitary napkin vending machines in various departments, hostels, and public spaces. Additionally, she proposes initiatives such as menstrual leaves and attendance relaxation for female students.

Aayesha, addressing the perception of nationalist groups, deems them "misunderstood" and "victims of fear-mongering." To promote social harmony, she suggests establishing a "Samajika Samarasya" centre on the campus.