Azamgarh-Mau (old Azamgarh) in eastern Uttar Pradesh (also known as Poorvanchal) which has a significant Muslim population and rich tradition of establishment of Islamic institutions (madrasah). The region has long list of Madaris, some of them are very famous and some of them are very little known but almost each small town in these two districts has a small or big madrasah in it and some of them have more than one. Madarsatul Islah, Baitul Uloom (Sarai Mir), Aljamiatul-Ashrafia, Ahyaul Uloom (Mubarak Pur), Jamiatul Falah, Jamiatur Rashad, and so on. These districts have some modern education institutions and the oldest one is Shibli National P.G. College in Azamgarh City.

Fatehpur Talratoay is far east village of Mau bordering with Ibrahim Patti, birth place of former Prime Minister of India, Mr. Chadar Shekhar. Among the Muslim community of Poorvanchal UP, this village is also known as Fatehpur-Dhilai as Dhilai Firozpur is a sister village around 3 kilometer on the east side of Fatehpur on main Gorakhpur-Ballia Highway. Fatehpur-Dhilai is always known as educated village in Muslim community of Poorvanchal UP. In fact, primary school of Fatehpur is the place from where (Late) Mr. Chadar Shekhar, former Prime Minister of India completed his primary education.

Contrary to other Azamgarh-Mau villages, Fatehpur-Dhilai does not have much trend to go to Middle East to earn money. Residents of Fatehpur always preferred education and jobs related to education. In fact, quite a high number of their natives were teacher in Bombay. However, the recent developments in Bombay had made it tough for them to get a job in either Municipal Schools or even private schools. In 1972, a dedicated team of Fatehpur natives mostly based in Bombay (now Mumbai) established Fatehpur Educational Society and Fatehpur Girls Intermediate College to impart modern education to the girls of the area. Mohammad Nayeem Usmani and Mohammad Shamim Usmani headed the team. They were teachers in Bombay Urdu medium schools. Mr. Nayeem Usmani retired as Principal of Anjuman Islam High School and Mr. Shamim Usmani retired as Principal of Muhammadiyah High School. Mohammiyah High School is my alma mater and I did my S.S.C. (High School) from the same in 1988. They received overwhelming support from the natives of Fatehpur-Dhilai who were in either Bombay or other parts of the country. The other prominent people who lend their support were (Late) Mahfooz Usmani, Mujtaba Usmani, Hasan Raza Azmi, Hunney Miyan and many more. Even the residents of Fatehpur also extended their support. FatehPur Girls Intermediate College is in Fatehpur. The College is Registered and affiliated by the State Government of UP.

Fatehpur Girls Inter College is a well performing in its class. One of its students Miss Antima secured Highest Mark in her UP board examination. Miss Rahat Bano and Miss Smita Tiwari represented the College at UP state level and UP State at National level in sports. Average result of high echool is 90% and of XII. 95 %. On the basis of over all performance in acadmic as well in sports, college Principal Mrs. Malti Sharma awarded with Presidential Award in 2009. The College is also biggest Centre to Conduct Bombay Art Examation in Poorvanchal.

I am a native of Fatehpur but did not have much chance to live there as I grew up in Bombay and then moved to Aligarh for my education and finally ended up in US to earn my living. However, always paid a visit to Fatehpur every year either in summer or winter vacations. I have known this Inter College from my childhood as most of my cosine sisters completed their education from the Inter College. Death of Founders slowed down the pace of progress of the College and migration of families to big cities like Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Lucknow, Delhi and Bombay affected the strength of Muslims in the College and also started losing supports from native of Fatehpur. However, the new Team of Management under the leadership of Er. Zafar Usmani and Dr. Naseem Usmani have taken some concrete steps to bring back the College on its pace of progress.

On personal invitation of Dr. Naseem Usmani, Secretary Fatehpur Educational Society, I paid a visit to the College on 28th and 29th September 2011. The condition of the College was not up to my expectation but the pace of the progress was beyond my expectation and imagination. Very recently they established a computer lab fully equipped with Internet. Making some infrastructural changes for the security of the College. They were adding boundary walls for sports grounds to maintain the privacy of the girls while playing in the field. Aligarh Education Endowment Fund (AEEF) supported 8 students on the basis of Merit cum means and I personally met with them and their families. It was also very exciting to talk to them. Mostly I talked about the glorious past of the region (Azamgarh and its surroundings). How Sir Syed Ahmad Khan changed the face of the community by his Aligarh Movement. How Allama Shibli Nomani inspired by Sir Syed and his mission started National School and its growth to one of the biggest minority institution of the region. I also talked about the struggle for women's education and establishment of Women's College of Aligarh Muslim University and the role of Begum Waheed Jahan, wife of Shaikh Abdullah in the establishment of Women's College at Aligarh. I also mentioned the role of Begum Sultan Jahan in women's education. Shabana Azmi, one of eminent figure of the region and his community service acts for the region. The students listened to me very quietly. I do not know whether it was very boring or they were really pondering over it. Anyway, it was a great pleasure and honor for me to talk to the students. Hope and pray that time permits me to make more visits like this which is best way to read and understand the minds of our future generation.