By Rafiq Vayani
LAHORE: It was the perfect night to relive three decades of the LUMS experience as alumni from around the world gathered at their very own LUMS campus on Saturday, 23 December, 2017 for the Zong 4G Alumni Homecoming 2017.
As the flagship event of the year for the LUMS alumni network, the annual homecoming attracted a crowd of over 2000 attendees, including alumni from all batches, many of whom flew to Lahore for the sole purpose of congregating at their alma mater for the biggest reunion of the year.
Celebrating the thirty years of excellence that LUMS has embodied, the entire theme for this year’s event was reliving the good old days of LUMS. Decked out in vintage-themed décor, from classic archive photos and historic memorabilia, the essence of the night was reliving the one-of-a-kind journey LUMS has had and celebrating the incredible milestones it has achieved over the years.
The evening kicked off with a welcoming address by the Master of Ceremony, Adeel Hashmi, who kept the gathering entertained with his witty discourse and charismatic appeal. He greeted the crowd with his trademark charm and thanked both LUMS Pro-Chancellor, Syed Babar Ali, and LUMS Rector, Abdul Razak Dawood, for joining the alumni at their annual homecoming.
Abdul Razak Dawood and Syed Babar Ali then both took the stage to welcome the alumni community to their homecoming and express their happiness at having them all back at campus. Their speeches were followed by LUMS Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. S. Sohail H. Naqvi’s address, who spoke to the gathering about the latest developments and happenings at LUMS, and shared the University’s incredible achievements in recent times.
The guests were then treated to a delicious dinner of traditional cuisine, including classic treats like hot gulab jamun and Kashmiri chai to complement the chilly Lahore weather. The night would not have been possible without the support of the sponsors of the event, at the fore of which stood the title sponsorship from Zong 4G. With 7Up joining hands as the exclusive beverage partner for the event, Careem teaming up as the travel partner for the event, and Samsung and ITD as supportive sponsors, the alumni homecoming was an evening to remember.
After an evening of sharing happy LUMS memories and favourite anecdotes, the alumni moved on to the entertainment for the night when the rockstar Ali Azmat made his grand entrance and took the stage by storm. In his signature style, he dazzled the crowd with his classic beats, making sure the crowd experienced his fantastic music in its entirety.
Having spent the entire evening reconnecting with old friends, catching up with favourite LUMS faculty, and jamming with Ali Azmat, the alumni truly experienced an unforgettable night at their annual homecoming, filled with excitement and anticipation for the next one.
