A.P. J. Abdul Kalam [1931] : President of India

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam

Born on 15th October 1931 at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, specialized in Aeronautical Engineering from Madras Institute of Technology. Dr. Kalam made significant contribution as Project Director to develop India's first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III) which successfully injected the Rohini satellite in the near earth orbit in July 1980 and made India an exclusive member of Space Club. He was responsible for the evolution of ISRO's launch vehicle programme, particularly the PSLV configuration. After working for two decades in ISRO and mastering launch vehicle technologies, Dr. Kalam took up the responsibility of developing Indigenous Guided Missiles at Defence Research and Development Organisation as the Chief Executive of Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP). He was responsible for the development and operationalisation of AGNI and PRITHVI Missiles and for building indigenous capability in critical technologies through networking of multiple institutions. He was the Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister and Secretary, Department of Defence Research & Development from July 1992 to December 1999. During this period he led to the weaponisation of strategic missile systems and the Pokhran-II nuclear tests in collaboration with Department of Atomic Energy, which made India a nuclear weapon State. He also gave thrust to self-reliance in defence systems by progressing multiple development tasks and mission projects such as Light Combat Aircraft.

As Chairman of Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) and as an eminent scientist, he led the country with the help of 500 experts to arrive at Technology Vision 2020 giving a road map for transforming India from the present developing status to a developed nation. Dr. Kalam has served as the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, in the rank of Cabinet Minister, from November 1999 to November 2001 and was responsible for evolving policies, strategies and missions for many development applications. Dr. Kalam was also the Chairman, Ex-officio, of the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Cabinet (SAC-C) and piloted India Millennium Mission 2020.

Dr. Kalam took up academic pursuit as Professor, Technology & Societal Transformation at Anna University, Chennai from November 2001 and was involved in teaching and research tasks. Above all he took up a mission to ignite the young minds for national development by meeting high school students across the country.

In his literary pursuit four of Dr. Kalam's books - "Wings of Fire", "India 2020 - A Vision for the New Millennium", "My journey" and "Ignited Minds - Unleashing the power within India" have become household names in India and among the Indian nationals abroad. These books have been translated in many Indian languages.

Dr. Kalam is one of the most distinguished scientists of India with the unique honour of receiving honorary doctorates from 30 universities and institutions. He has been awarded the coveted civilian awards - Padma Bhushan (1981) and Padma Vibhushan (1990) and the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna (1997). He is a recipient of several other awards and Fellow of many professional institutions.

Dr. Kalam became the 11th President of India on 25th July 2002. His focus is on transforming India into a developed nation by 2020.

Ref:

http://presidentofindia.nic.in/

Ahmadullah Shah : Freedom Fighter

by Dr. SAIYID ZAHEER HUSAIN JAFRI

That Ahmadullah Shah was one of the central figures in the popular uprising of 1857 in Awadh becomes clear when we reconstruct his life and activities. Using hitherto lesser-used sources, such as personal memoirs of the British officers who participated in crushing the uprising, daily official despatches and Urdu biographies, newspapers and short notices, Ahmadullah Shah emerges as perhaps the only person praised even by his British adversaries. Colonel G.B. Malleson in his ëIndian Mutinyí says, "The Moulvie was a very remarkable man. Of his capacity as a military leader, many proofs were given during the revolt... No other man could boast that he has twice foiled Sir Colin Campbell in the field." It may be recalled that Sir Colin Campbell, hero of the Crimean War, was the commander-in-chief of the British forces in the subcontinent at that time.

The perception about Ahmadullah Shah, whether in the narration of the victors or that of the vanquished, is almost identical on the points of his 'brilliant ideas' and 'tactical skills'. The nobility of his character was so well known that Hindus and Muslims both accepted him as their undisputed leader when they broke open the gates of Fyzabad prison where he was lodged on charges of causing 'sedition' among them. He had the additional virtue of chivalry and humanism for in his entire career he had not stained his sword by assassination. These qualities become extraordinarily noble when we find him thanking Colonel Lennox (his jailor at Fyzabad who was to send him to the gallows) for his permission to allow him use of a hookah while he was a prisoner.

Ahmadullah Shah has won universal praise by modern writers who have studied this short but heroic phase of India's resistance against colonial domination. Historians like R.C. Majumdar and V.D. Savarkar have used superlatives to describe his role, while Tara Chand, S.N. Sen, Syed Moinul Haq, Abrar Husain Faruqi and Ghulam Rasul Mehr and a host of Urdu writers have praised his leadership qualities.

Born in the second decade of the 19th century as Saiyid Ahmad Ali Khan alias Ziauddin, titled Dilawar Jang, he was a son of Nawab Muhammad Ali Khan of Chinapattan (Madras). He received, as a prince, the best education of the time. He completed his studies in classical languages and traditional Islamic sciences (Tafsir, Hadith, Fiqh and logic) and also received extensive training in the art of Warfare. He seems to have acquired some knowledge of English. As an enterprising young prince his fame reached far and wide.

He visited Hyderabad as a guest of the Nizam in connection with a marriage proposal, and though the proposed marriage did not come off, he stayed in the city for quite some time. While at Hyderabad, the British officers formally requested his father to allow him to visit England. Thereafter, he proceeded to London, and had the opportunity to meet the King as well as some notables. Not much details of his stay at England are available, except the fact that he was allowed to display his skill in the use of arms at his own request. By the time he was back in India, he became inclined towards mysticism and after an intense search for a sufi guide, became a disciple of Saiyid Furqan Ali Shah, a saint of the Qadri order at Sambhar (Rajasthan) and remained with his pir for some time. From here he was directed by his spiritual guide to proceed to Gwalior. It was by his pir that he was called 'Ahmadullah Shah', a title by which he became known afterwards.

This was a time when the Muslim mystics were actively preaching resistance to the British rule and asking people to wage a holy war (jehad). Therefore, although the Qadris are averse to the very idea of musical gatherings (sama), we find these parties being used as an opportunity to gather support for jehad. Accordingly, Ahmadullah Shah reached Agra with a large number of disciples (murids). He rented a palatial house and kept naqqaras (drums) at the gate which were beaten five times a day. As his popularity grew, so did the number of his murids. Audition parties (majlis-i-qawwali) were arranged. It came to be believed that 'neither fire can burn his disciples, nor swords can do any harm to them.' During the course of these musical sessions, Ahmadullah Shah was fond of practising meditation, by holding his breath for a long duration (habs-i dam). It was during one such 'ecstasy' that he predicted that 'from this date after six months, there will be great disturbance in the territories of the government.'

It seems that at Agra he was very vocal against the British. As a result, complaints were lodged with the British authorities to the effect that, 'he is a dervesh only in name, actually he is a prince and is preparing the masses to wage a war against the government.' However, no action was initiated against him.

Sometimes afterwards he again went to Gwalior from where he proceeded to Lucknow, the capital city of the recently
annexed kingdom of Awadh, arriving there in November 1856. His arrival in the city was reported in the weekly newspaper of Lucknow, 'Tilism', on 21st November, 1856, in the following manner:

These days a person called Ahmadullah Shah in disguise of a faqir but having all the paraphernalia of royalty has arrived in the town... People ... visit him in a large number on Mondays and Thursdays to take part in mystic gatherings (majlis-i hal-o-qal). A number of feats are performed at these gatherings...Such display takes place every morning and evening for the masses...

The impact of these gatherings on the population of Lucknow can be gauged by the next report of Tilism, which appeared two months later. On 30th January, 1857, it was reported:

Ahmadullah Shah... is very fearless in saying whatever he wishes to say and a large crowd is always there... Although he is unable to do anything, orally he always pleads for 'jehad.'

Certainly, his call for jehad bore fruit. The news was leaked to the British and this time, the kotwal (a police official) was sent asking him to give up the call of jehad and to surrender his arms and ammunitions. Shah tried to convince the kotwal, who was also a Muslim, about the morality of jehad, but he was not convinced. The English thought it necessary to post some sepoys to check the inflow of the visitors and even to record their names. At the same time orders were issued to the thanedar (a police official) of Chinibazar for putting curbs on his activities. Finally, Ahmadullah Shah was forced to leave the town and go wherever he wanted along with his arms. This order was not resisted by him.

Ahmadullah Shah now left Lucknow, headed for Bahraich, with ten or twelve men. However, he halted at Fyzabad
where a hall was constructed near the Chawk sarai, where he was staying. Once again he started preaching jehad. Hardly two or three days had passed that the authorities got alarmed as 'chuprases' (peons) informed the magistrate of the dangerous implications of this man's preaching. Accordingly, the officer incharge of the city issued the necessary
orders for his arrest. The principal terms demanded from this Maulavi were that he and his armed followers, numbering
about seven, should give up their arms, which should be kept in safe custody. Further, that all this preaching and distribution of money, so conducive to disturbance of peace, should be entirely put to an end. This time, Ahmadullah
Shah made a deliberate refusal and early next morning, an infantry company attacked them. Ultimately, the Shah was
arrested and placed under guard in the cantonment as 'he seemed too dangerous a character to be kept in the city jail.' After a brief trial he was imprisoned in the district prison at Fyzabad.

With the outbreak of Mutiny at Fyzabad on 8th June 1857, the gates of the prison were broken open and Ahmadullah Shah was chosen by the mutineers as their leader. The notables of town presented themselves before him and offered nazr. This left him no choice but to assume leadership. At the time of the battle of Chinhat, he commanded both the
Hindu and Muslim sepoys of Fyzabad.

With the battle of Chinhat began the second phase of Ahmadullah Shah's career. Now, he was a busy commander of forces, planning attacks on the British positions and strengthening defences.

His first engagement with the British forces took place at Chinhat when the British made a surprise attack in the early
morning of 30th June 1857. The columns were hurriedly organised and Ahmadullah Shah and his contingent distinguished
themselves in hand to hand fight, capturing many assault guns. In inflicting a crushing defeat on the British, the Shah
had a very significant role. He wanted to take full advantage of confusion in the British camp, but other leaders failed to
realise the importance of such a strategic move. The Shah's contingent was left alone to pursue the enemy. For want of
joint action at the decisive movement, the English could consolidate their position. Anyway, the Shah led an assault on English fortifications (Residency) and suffered a bullet injury. Although he remained undeterred, 'there was a need for cannons and arrows, and not for lances and swords'. Therefore, the Shah had to beat a retreat. He now fixed his quarters at Tara Kothi, remaining there for quite some time.

Fateh Muhammad Taib, his disciple and author of his versified biography 'Tawarikh-i Ahmadi', tells us of the early estrangement between the Shah and Prince Birjis Qadar of Awadh's erstwhile ruling family. As the latter was still a
minor, and also a Shia, the Shah did not think he was fit to lead the war, which he still considered as a holy war (jehad). He was not willing to entrust the disciplining of the sepoys to the nominal authority of Birjis Qadar, whereas the situation at hand demanded that they be put under severe check. As a result of the military victory against the British, the sepoys had become very arrogant, causing much hardship to the inhabitants of the city by their indiscriminate plunder. On
the other hand, the followers of Ahmadullah Shah, who saw themselves as 'mujahidins', had come to acquire an inflated sense of importance. However, religious rhetoric did not prevent Ahmadullah Shah from lending full support to the attack on the British Residency. He personally participated in an assault on Baily Guard during which bullet pierced his right hand.

His biographer broadly confirms the general impression that at Lucknow the British position was threatened by two separate factions having conflicting and even contradictory interests, and hence the military leaders frequently changed
sides, quite often shifting their loyalties from one camp to another. But after the British capture of Lucknow, the Shah
became the main rallying point of anti-British forces. As such, a joint venture to fight the British was proposed by Prince
Birjis Qadar. The Shah readily agreed. In the ensuing fight, half-way through the battle the forces of the Prince withdrew,
leaving the ghazis to face the cannon fire of the English. Ultimately, the Shah was forced to retire to the palace at Gaughat. In this battle also he was severely wounded.

The common soldiers had utmost respect and consideration for Ahmadullah Shah and whenever he thought of going somewhere else, they prevailed over him to change his mind. It would appear that the entire responsibility for opposition to him lay with the sepoy leaders. At the same time, it must be conceded that the unruly mob of the sepoys was hardly under any one's control. The sepoy faction made an attempt on the life of Ahmadullah Shah, but the assassin was killed by his bodyguards.

Unable to hold his ground at Lucknow, Ahmadullah Shah decided to withdraw with his small following towards Sitapur
and established his headquarters at Bari. Hazrat Mahal (the mother of Prince Birjis Qadar) also thought it expedient to join him. Although the initial response of Ahmadullah Shah was cautious, he ultimately agreed. Reportedly, Prince Birjis Qadar offered him spiritual allegiance (bay'at), putting the entire management in Ahmadullah Shah's hands. The latter forced the officers of the Begum to part with their wealth, again causing much resentment. This was the cause of the new allies
ditching Ahmadullah Shah when he made a surprise attack on the Gorkha contingent of the British returning from Nepal after much plunder.

After suffering considerable losses at Bari, Ahmadullah Shah was forced to retire to Muhammadi. Here a last bid
was made to take a firm stand against the British. Although his health was fast deteriorating, he was the guiding spirit
behind all the planning. An envoy was sent to Nawab Khan Bahadur Khan of Bareily to request supply of lances. Although the envoy was received courteously, the lances were not supplied, as they were needed by the Bareily army itself.

It was at Muhammadi that Ahmadullah Shah declared himself to be an independent ruler. The coronation is said to have taken place on 15th March, 1858; coins were also struck, but none have apparently survived. The measure was probably resorted to boost the sinking morale of the fighting forces. It is said that at Muhammadi, he received many rebel leaders like Azeemullah Khan, Prince Firoz Shah, Nawab Bahadur Khan of Bareilly and one Ismail Khan.

Many details of the military campaigns of Ahmadullah Shah in Rohilkhand region are also found. A first hand account of
his assassination at Pawayan has been provided by Maulana Fazle Haq Khairabadi, who was an eye witness. In the reports of the British officers, there is an evident sense of relief upon obtaining the news of Ahmadullah Shah's death!

Such was the life of Ahmadullah Shah. Before the outbreak of mutiny, he carried on systematic propaganda in favour of
jehad in the present area of Uttar Pradesh, with considerable impact upon the popular mind, at least in Agra, Aligarh,
Lucknow and Fyzabad divisions. At the same time, he cannot be considered a lone preacher. Certainly, a significant role
must have been played by other spiritual leaders like Mehrab Shah Qadri, Lakkar Shah and others, about whom, unfortunately, very little is known.

The nation must acknowledge its great debt to Maulana Fazle Haq Khairabadi, a contemporary of Ahmadullah Shah, who
was exiled to Andaman prison. This prison was specially set up by the colonial tyrants after 1857 to house the 'most seditious and dangerousí of the 'rebels' away from the mainstream of the Indian nation.

It came to be known as Kala Pani (Black Water) in Hindi and, more evocatively as 'Saza habs-e dawam ba-ubur daryaeshur'- Punishment Beyond the Shores for Life in Urdu. It was here that Maulana Fazle Haq Khairabadi, instead of being put to hard labour, was asked to translate some classical Persian and Arabic works into Urdu. He took this opportunity to pen down 'Al Sauratul Hindiya', a Recollection of Events during 1857-59 in India. The work was later smuggled out of Andaman, preserving precious details about the life and times of Ahmadullah Shah. However, it could
only be published after India's independence in 1947.

The author is a Reader in the Department of History, Delhi University. His special area of study is the economic history of Awadh. Article first appeared in the March 2002 issue of India Perspective magazine.

Ahmed Deedat [1918-2005] : Dawah

Sheikh Ahmed Hoosen Deedat was Born on the 01 July 1918 in the Surat district of India in 1918. His father emigrated to South Africa in 1927 with him. Ahmed Deedat was a very bright student and excelled in school. Lack of finance interrupted his schooling and at an early age of 16 he took on the first of many jobs in retailing and short assistant.

After reading a book called Izharul Haq – The Truth revealed, a book about a debate with Christian Missionaries in the then British India, Sheikh Deedat was spurred on in the direction of Dawah – Islamic Missionary Activity to halt the tide of the then Christian onslaught against Islam.

Over the next four decades, he immersed himself into a host of activities. Conducting Bible classes, lectures and debates the world over. He established the first Islamic Seminary in Southern Africa to train propagators at Assalaam educational Institute - Braemar.

He is the founder of the largest Islamic Dawah Organization in the world, the Islamic Propagation Center International and became its president.

He has published more than 20 books and distributed millions of copies of FREE literature and pamphlets the world over. Many of Sheikh Deedat’s publications have been translated into the many different languages of the world : Russian, Urdu, Arabic, Bengali, Bangladeshi, French, Amharic, Chinese, Japanese, Mayalam, Indonesian,, Zulu , Afrikaans, Dutch, Norwegian amongst others.

He delivered thousands of lectures all over the world, crossing all the continents and successfully engaging some of the biggest names in Christian evangelists in public debates. Sheikh Deedat’s debates and lectures are available all over the world in the various languages in Video and DVD format.

His career in the field of Comparative Religion took him across all five continents and dialogue with the heads of the Protestant world in America and the late Pope John Paul.

So fearless was his stand in defending the truth that Sheikh Deedat was refused entry into France and Nigeria on the pretext that ‘ he would cause a civil unrest’.

Sheikh Deedat also received a personal phone call at the IPCI from former President Nelson Mandela who was in Saudi Arabia at the time, congratulating Deedat for his international icon status in the Muslim World.

He was awarded the prestigious King Faisal Award in 1986 for his sterling services to Islam in the field of Propagation.

Alefia Tundawala : Academia

Vision of a visionless girl

Kolkata, June 25(ANI): Alefia Tundawala, a 26-year-old visually challenged girl,has proved that physical disability can not stop anyone from dreaming and making efforts to realise the dreams.

In a society where people suffering from any disability have to face social ostracism, this girl has worked hard to overcome her handicap and make an impact on the community.

Alefia has selected 'Muslim in Search of Identity' as her research topic which she claims is a field least touched.

"I want to contribute my bit to the academic world. The subject that I have selected is a unique one. I want to redefine communalism." says Alefia Tundawala.

Alefia was born with impaired dark adaptation (night blindness). She lost her eyesight gradually but she developed courage to fight against all odds.

In her school and college days she used to receive help from a friend and never felt need to learn Braille, but as she started to work on her own, had to learn it.

For preparing her dissertation paper and later pursuing her PHD she relied on her computer and Braille typewriter.She has installed a special software in her computer called JAWS with which she scans her documents and storesis them in the computer.

For Hindi and Urdu literature she is helped by a personal assistant, who reads out to her the important documents relating Y to the research topic and records them in a recorder.

Yusuf Tundawala, father of this brave girl, is proud of her and wishes that his daughter's dream of becoming professor will come true. "She wants to become professor. She has done her MA and now she is pursuing PHD. We hope that she will get a job at a suitable place", he says.

Alefia's brother Moiz is also visually impaired and stands by his elder sister and escorts her along with his father. Her mother is a constant source of courage for Alefia.

The moral support of the family and her personal courage has helped Alifia move ahead towards her goal. (ANI)

http://in.news.yahoo.com/050625/139/5z3m3.html

Altamas Kabir [b.1948]: Judge, Supreme Court of India

Altamas Kabir, M.A.,LL.B.

19 Jul 1948: born.

1973: enrolled as an Advocate, and practised in the District Court and the Calcutta High Court in Civil and Criminal sides.

6 Aug 1990: appointed as a permanent Judge in the Calcutta High Court.

1 Mar 2005: appointed as a Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court.
9 Sep 2005: Appointed as a Judge, Supreme Court of India.

19 July 2013: Due to retire.

Anwarul Hoda [b.1938] : member, Planning Commission

Anwarul Hoda, IAS (Rtd.)

Member, Planning Commission, Government of India.
Date of Birth : 18.11.1938

Mr. Anwarul Hoda, former civil servant, joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1962. During the period 1963-1974 he worked in the state of Bihar. Among the assignments held by him in the state were District Magistrate, Muzaffarpur (1972-74), Managing Director Bihar State Financial Corporation (1970-72) and Deputy Secretary, Public Works Department (1967-70).

During the period 1974-81 and again 1985-93, he worked in the Government of India in the Ministry of Commerce and the last post held by him was Special Secretary in the Ministry. Throughout this period his main responsibility was multilateral trade negotiations under the auspices of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. He was the Chief Policy Coordinator in the Government of India during the Uruguay Round (1986-93).

In 1993 he was appointed as Deputy Director General ICITO/GATT and in 1995 he assumed charge as Deputy Director General, World Trade Organisation. On completion of his tenure in 1999 he was appointed Special Adviser to the Director General of WTO for the Ministerial Conference at Seattle. Before joining the Planning Commission he was Professor in the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), New Delhi.

Selected Publications:

1. Developing Countries in the International Trading System (Allied, 1987)
2. Tariff Negotiations and Renegotiations under the GATT and the WTO (Cambridge University Press, 2001)
3. WTO Agreement & Indian Agriculture (Social Science Press, 2002)
4. WTO, Agriculture Negotiations and Developing Countries: Lessons from the Indian Experience (forthcoming)

Ashfaqullah Khan [1900-1927] : Freedom Fighter

Ashfaqullah Khan

by Charu Bahri
indianmuslims.info

Ashfaqullah Khan was born in October 1900 to a middle class family of Shahjahanpur, a city that has played a very important role in India’s independence movement.

Shahjahanpur city was established by Diler Khan and Bahadur Khan, sons of a soldier in the army of the Mughal emperor Jehangir named Dariya Khan, on land granted to them in appreciation of their services by the subsequent Mughal heir Shahjahan.

Ashfaqullah Khan’s parents had high principles. His father Shafiqur Rahman worked for the police. Although Ashfaqullah was the youngest of six siblings, he harboured patriotic feelings from a young age. He is also said to have been a good poet.

He was initiated into the fredom struggle by Ramprasad Bismil, who hailed from the same city. The duo along with Roshan Singh created a society known as the Mitravedi Sangh led by Gendalal Dixit, to further the freedom struggle by fund-raising.

While they initially focused on collections from the public, the acute paucity of funds they faced inspired them to turn to theft. They believed the money they looted would be used for a good cause, the freedom struggle, as it would enable them to buy arms and ammunition.

These young freedom fighters sought the support of other leaders of the time, but after Mahatma Gandhi distanced himself from their efforts, Ramprasad Bismil founded the Hindustan Association under the leadership of Yogesh Chatterjee. Again, they focused on fund-raising and again when contributions fell short, they turned to robbery.

After a detailed meeting on August 8, 1925 in Shahjahanpur, the revolutionaries set out to rob the Government treasury passing by in a train the next day. Ashfaqullah Khan, Ramprasad Bismil and Chandrashekar Azad were the main conspirers and executors of this plot.

This robbery was successfully implemented and became known as the Kakori train robbery as it took place near Kakori railway station. However, Ashfaqullah Khan and 39 of his accomplices, including the other ring leaders from his city Ramprasad Bismil and Roshan Singh were arrested a few months later. Ashfaqullah was detained in the Faizabad jail. His brother Riyasatullah acted as his counsel and fought his case till the very end, when a death sentence was pronounced. In jail, Ashfaqullah was known to recite the Quran.

On 19 December 1927 Ashfaqullah Khan was hanged. Ramprasad Bismil and Roshan Singh were also hanged in the Gorakhpur and Allahabad prisons respectively.

There are two noteworthy mazars (memorials) in Shahjahanpur, established for Shahid Ahmad Ullah Shah, a remarkable freedom fighter of the 1857 struggle, and for Shahid Ashfaqallah Khan, reminding the world of their selfless sacrifices for their country. The road connecting these two mazars is called Shahid Ramprasad Bismil Marg.

Azim H Premji : Business

Azim Premji is the Chairman and Managing Director of Wipro Technologies. He lead Wipro to a global multi-billion dollar IT powerhouse. He is the richest man of India. He was awarded Padma Bhushan by the Govt. of India.

Azim has a degree in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University, USA.

http://www.wipro.com/aboutus/azim.htm

Begum Hazrat Mahal [ - 1874] : Freedom Fighter

Begum Hazrat Mahal

by Charu Bahri
indianmuslims.info

Begum Hazrat Mahal, also known as Begum of Avadh (Oudh), or the Rebel Begum, was part of the harem of King Wajid Ali Shah of Lucknow (Avadh). She belonged to a poor family from Faizabad and went by the name of Muhammadi Khanum prior to her marriage.

When they married, King Wajid Ali Shah granted her the title Iftikhar-un-Nisa (the Pride of all Women). After the birth of her only child, her son Birjis Qadr, he gave her the title Hazrat Mahal.

While Begum Hazrat Mahal was brought up to live a carefree life of abandon, she actually possessed a strong character that was resolutely expressed through the leadership she provided the province of Avadh commencing with her handling of the incident that shattered the Royal household, the deportation of King Wajid Ali Shah to Calcutta, leaving the kingdom without a leader.

After their victory at Chinhut near Lucknow in July 1857, the revolutionary forces of the First War of Independence captured Lucknow and lay siege to the Residency, British quarters. However, the city and the state were in chaos. The mutineers then realized the need for a royal persona under whose name they would be able to consolidate their position and bring together the diverse interests in the state. Begum Hazrat also appreciated the need for quick, astute action.

Joining hands with the mutineers, she made a show of her clever nature and political aspirations as she agreed to crown her minor son Birjis Qadr and name herself acting Regent. Interestingly, the other Begums were approached before her, but none agreed to crown their sons King, fearing the action that would follow. Indeed, Begum Hazrat Mahal was a courageous woman whose foresight helped motivate the people of Avadh against the British.

For six months this joint Government of revolutionaries led by Begum Hazrat controlled Lucknow. She used the seal of her son King Birjis Qadar to issue orders to the masses, zamindars and taluqdars to rebel against the British.

It is said that she toured the province to encourage rebellion and even appeared on elephant back on the battlefield to guide her troops. Her armies, numbering 150,000, were greater in number than what any other leader brought against the British in India. Throughout, she remained in direct correspondence with Nana Saheb, noble zamindar and taluqdar families and other royal kingdoms.

A true spirited stateswoman, she cared deeply for her people. To fortify the city of Lucknow against advancing British forces, she sanctioned five lakhs rupees to have a wall built round the city. She used all her cunning to make counter offers to Kings and noblemen the British approached for alliances, such as Rana Jang Bahadur of Nepal.

Begum Hazrat was the last leader to retreat when the mutineers were finally defeated in Lucknow in March 1858. Even so, she shifted base to the fort of Baundi (now in district Behraich, Uttar Pradesh) from where she continued to stir trouble against the British throughout the province. Determined not to fall into the hands of the British, she left the fort in December 1858, and wandered in dense jungles of the sub-Himalayan belt with a few faithful soldiers, until she finally crossed into Nepal and was granted residence by the King.

Begum Hazrat Mahal was made offers of the principality of Lucknow and a large annuity after her defeat but she openly scorned these attempts to mollify her. The thought of being made a puppet in the hands of the British was beneath her dignity.

She spent her entire wealth in sustaining those who traveled to Nepal with her, and lived the remaining 16 years of her life as a commoner. When she died in Kathmandu in 1874 there was not even sufficient money for a modest mausoleum on her grave. Indeed, this speaks greatly of her character, a great freedom fighter, an undying patriot who left an indelible mark on the annals of the Indian freedom struggle.

Links of Interest:

http://oudh.tripod.com/bhm/bhm.htm

Deen Mahomed [1759-1851]: soldier, writer, businessman

Mahomed, Deen [formerly Deen Mahomet] (1759–1851), shampooing surgeon and restaurateur, was born Deen Mahomet in May 1759, in Patna, Bihar, India, the younger son of an Indian officer in the East India Company's Bengal army. Both parents were Shi‘i Muslims claiming descent from Afshar Turk and Arab immigrants to India from Persia in the seventeenth century.

Mahomed, Deen (1759–1851), by Thomas Mann Baynes
Picture credit : Wellcome Library, London

After a traditional Islamic education in Patna, and his father's death fighting recalcitrant landholders in 1769, Mahomet left his mother to attach himself as camp follower to Ensign Godfrey Evan Baker of the Bengal army's 3rd European regiment. Together they marched widely across north India, subduing Indian villagers and regional rulers and blocking anticipated French invasions. Under Baker's patronage in 1781 Mahomet rose to the posts of market master and then jemadar (ensign) of the élite grenadier company of the 2nd battalion, 30th sepoy regiment, 2nd brigade. Mahomet fought skirmishes at Kalpi (April 1781) against Marathas and stormed Patita Fort (13 September 1781), rescuing Governor-General Warren Hastings from Raja Chayt Singh of Benares. Promoted subedar (lieutenant) in this regiment, Mahomet helped crush peasant resistance to British control in the Benares region.

Baker, after his recall in July 1782 for alleged extortion from villagers, resigned his captain's commission. Following Baker, Mahomet also resigned from the Bengal army and emigrated to Ireland. They sailed from Calcutta on the Danish vessel Christiansborg in January 1784, visiting Madras, St Helena, and Dartmouth (November 1784) en route to Cork, Baker's home town. Under Baker's patronage Mahomet studied to perfect his English. In 1786 he eloped with an Anglo-Irish gentlewoman, Jane Daly (b. c.1772). They had an Anglican marriage in Cork and Ross diocese, Mahomet having converted to this denomination. In 1794 he published his two-volume Travels of Dean Mahomet, a native of Patna in Bengal, through several parts of India, while in the service of the Honourable the East India Company written by himself, in a series of letters to a friend, the first book ever written and published in English by an Indian. This epistolary travel narrative recounted the Bengal army's conquest of India, Indian customs and cities, and Mahomet's autobiography. He elaborated his text with Latin quotations (from Seneca and Martial), citations from Goldsmith and Milton, a portrait of himself in European dress, and illustrations of an Indian sepoy and officer and the panoply of an Indian ruler. He secured the patronage of 320 élite British subscribers, testament to his standing as a man of letters.

By 1807 Mahomet had moved to London, accompanied by at least one son, William (c.1797–1833). Slight evidence suggests that his first wife, Jane Daly, may have died and that he married about this time another woman named Jane. Mahomet baptized two children at St Marylebone parish church: Amelia (1808–1894) and Henry Edwin (1810–1823). Mahomet worked for the Hon. Basil Cochrane, recently returned from India and made wealthy as a Madras civil servant and Royal Navy contractor. Cochrane established a charitable steam bath in his 12 Portman Square mansion, with Mahomet providing ‘shampooing’ (Indian therapeutic whole body massage). Other London bath house keepers soon imitated his shampooing method.

In 1810 Mahomet started the Hindostanee Coffee House, 34–5 George Street, Portman Square, proffering Indian cuisine and ambience, including hookahs (tobacco water pipes), bamboo furniture, and curries. He also adopted the honorific ‘sake’ (sheikh, ‘venerable one’) and altered his name from Mahomet to Mahomed. His restaurant attracted epicures but proved undercapitalized. Mahomed petitioned for bankruptcy on 18 March 1812 and distributed his property among his creditors at London's Guildhall on 27 July 1813. He then sought service as butler or valet but subsequently moved to the burgeoning seaside resort of Brighton, where the reconstruction of the prince regent's Royal Marine Pavilion had made oriental exotica fashionable. Finding employment in a bath house attached to the New Steyne Hotel, 11 Devonshire Place, in 1814, Mahomed sold Indian cosmetics and medicines, including Indian tooth powder, hair dye, steam bath with Indian oils, and shampooing. The last two, bolstered by his hyperbolic advertisements, proved most popular. By December 1815 Mahomed had opened his own Battery House Baths, at the foot of the Steyne. Here his daughter Rosanna (1815–1818) died.

Enhancing his reputation in 1820 Mahomed published a book of testimonials: Cases cured by Sake Deen Mahomed, shampooing surgeon, and inventor of the Indian medicated vapour and sea-water bath. Mahomed claimed to be able to cure a range of ills including rheumatism, asthma, and gout. He also identified supporters as well as rivals among orthodox medical practitioners. During 1820–21 he and his silent partner, Thomas Brown, built the magnificent Mahomed's Baths on King's Road, overlooking the sea (later the site of Queen's Hotel); while it was under construction he briefly established a bath house on West Cliff. He also expanded his 1820 book into a medical casebook, Shampooing, or, Benefits Resulting from the Use of the Indian Medicated Vapour Bath (1822, 1826, and 1838). In Shampooing, he revised his medical credentials to claim ten years' training in Calcutta Hospital and�to accommodate those years�adjusted his reported birth date to 1749. His professional and social prominence received recognition through appointment by royal warrant as shampooing surgeon to George IV and William IV. His popularity and patronage by aristocracy and gentry led jealous competitors to appropriate his method. Mahomed opened a London branch of his bath house at 11 St James's Place (1830–36) and then at 7 Little Ryder Street (1838–58); these were managed by his sons Deen (c.1812–c.1836) then Horatio (1816–1873). Another son, Frederick (1818–1888), taught dance, fencing, and gymnastics in Brighton. He was the father of the physician Frederick Henry Horatio Akbar Mahomed (1849–1884).

In 1841, after the death of his partner, Brown, Mahomed's Baths went to public auction. Mahomed himself lacked the capital to buy, but he offered to work as manager for the highest bidder. The first auction failed to meet the reserve price but, with no reserve, an 1843 auction succeeded. Since the new owner, William Furner, did not wish to employ Mahomed, he moved to a small rented house at 2 Black Lion Street, where he lived and attempted to compete with his old establishment. While he continued to advertise his services until 1845, his youngest son, Arthur Ackber (1819–1872), carried on the business under straitened circumstances. Jane Mahomed died on 26 December 1850 of uterine cancer; Mahomed died of ‘natural decay’ on 24 February 1851 at their son Frederick's home, 32 Grand Parade, Brighton. They were both buried together in St Nicholas's parish church, Brighton. From the 1860s his proprietary Indian medicated bath became the Turkish bath and his shampooing mere hair wash.

Michael H. Fisher
Sources

Travels of Dean Mahomet: an eighteenth–century journey through India, ed. M. H. Fisher (1997) · M. H. Fisher, The first Indian author in English (1996) · Abu Taleb Khan, Travels of Mirza Abu Taleb Khan in Asia, Africa, and Europe during the years 1799, 1800, 1801, 1802, and 1803: written by himself, in the Persian language, trans. C. Stewart, 3 (1814) · Memoirs of the life of the Right Hon. Warren Hastings, first governor-general of Bengal, ed. G. R. Gleig, 3 vols. (1841), vol. 2 · R. Visram, Ayahs, lascars and princes: Indians in Britain, 1700–1947 (1986) · H. Mahomed, The bath: a concise history of bathing, as practiced by the nations of the ancient and modern world (1843) · B. Cochrane, An improvement on the mode of administering the vapour bath (1809) · The Times (27 March 1811) · The Times (25 March 1812) · The Times (4 April 1812) · The Times (20 April 1813) · The epicure's almanack, or, Calendar of good living (1815) · Visitor's books of Mahomed's baths, Brighton Public Reference Library · LondG (21–4 March 1812) · LondG (2–6 June 1812) · LondG (3–7 July 1813) · Willis's Current Notes (1851) · d. cert. · marriage records of the Cork and Ross Diocese · memorial, St Nicholas's parish church, Brighton · Brighton Guardian (26 Feb 1851)
Archives

Brighton Public Reference Library

Likenesses

J. Finlay, engraving, 1794 (after Ghaywanimdy?), repro. in M. H. Fisher, ed., Travels of Dean Mahomet · W. Maddocks, portrait, 1822 · W. Maddocks, portrait, 1826 · T. M. Baynes, portrait, c.1830, Brighton Pavilion · S. Drummond, portrait, c.1840, Brighton · T. M. Baynes, lithograph, Wellcome L. [see illus.]
© Oxford University Press 2004–6
All rights reserved: see legal notice Oxford University Press

Michael H. Fisher, ‘Mahomed, Deen (1759–1851)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/53351, accessed 25 Feb 2006]

Deen Mahomed (1759–1851): doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/53351

http://www.oxforddnb.com/public/lotw/2.html

Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed [1905-1977]: President of India

Dr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed

Term of Office: 24 August 1974 TO 11 February 1977

Born on May 13, 1905 at Hauz Qazi area of Old Delhi with a silver spoon in his mouth, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was one of those few Muslims who by virtue of his service to the country under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi reached the pinnacle of honour as the President of the Indian Republic, the fifth in the roll.

Shri Fakhruddin's grandfather, Shri Khaliluddin Ali Ahmed, of Kacharighat near Golaghat town in the Sibsagar district, Assam, married in one of the families who were the relics of Emperor Aurangzeb's bid to conquer Assam. Ali Ahmed's father Col. Zalnur Ali, of the Indian Medical Service, had to leave Assam while he was a bachelor doctor following an incident in Shillong. Col. Ali and one of his Assamese contemporaries, Col. Sibram Bora, were allotted seats at a function in the Shillong Club away from the European guests. The two Assamese Colonels boycotted the function in protest against the segregation meted out to them. This naturally enraged the European bosses who transferred Col. Zalnur Ali to distant North-West Province. This provided him with an opportunity to come in contact with the Nawab of Lohari in Delhi whose daughter he married. Here was born Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed.

Educated first in the Bonda Government High School in U.P., Fakhruddin matriculated from the Delhi Government High School then under the Punjab University. He was sent to England for higher education in 1923 in order to groom him for the I.C.S., though his mother was opposed to his son being sent abroad. He joined the Catherine College of Cambridge University and was called to the Bar from Inner Temple of London. He could not compete for the I.C.S. examination due to illness. On return to India he started legal practice in the Lahore High Court in 1928. In October that year, Col. Zalnur Ali, accompanied by his Barrister son, Fakhruddin, paid a visit to Gauhati ostensibly to look after his paternal property which included a few hundred acres of land in and around Gauhati. Obviously, the Ahmed family's link, snapped on the Colonel's posting in N.W.P. was thus re-established after several years. Two years later Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed revisited Gauhati and came in contact with the leaders of the Congress in Assam and in 1931 enrolled himself as its primary member. This was a turning event in the life of Ahmed.

During his stay in England he met Jawaharlal Nehru in 1925 whose progressive ideas impressed him very much; in fact, Nehru became his mentor and friend from the thirties onwards. (Lord Bulter, one of the luminaries of the Tories was a classmate of Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed). Once Ahmed joined the Indian National Congress he steadfastly adhered to it though his co-religionists in the Muslim League tried to persuade him to join the latter. As a Congressman, Ahmed Saheb actively participated in the freedom movement. To begin with, he offered individual satyagraha on 14 December, 1940 for which he was imprisoned for a year under Section 5 of the DIR. Again, in the 'Quit India Movement' he was arrested on 9 August, 1942 while he was returning after attending the historic session of the AICC meeting held at Bombay and detained as a security prisoner for three and a half years till April 1945. In the Congress organization he occupied several positions of responsibilities. He remained a member of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee since 1936 except for a small break. He retained the membership of the AICC from 1947 till 1974. He was elected to the Assam Assembly for the first time in 1935 and became the Minister of Finance, Revenue and Labour in the Congress Coalition Ministry formed by the late Gopinath Bardoloi on 19 September, 1938. In the first spell of his Ministerial office Ali Ahmed demonstrated his acumen and ability in administrative sphere. His initiative in introducing the Assam Agricultural Income Tax Bill, the first of its kind in India, that levied taxes on tea garden lands in the Province and his pro-labour policy in the labour strike in the British-owned Assam Oil Company Ltd. At Digboi irked the European planters and their henchmen who considered that the measures of the Congress Coalition Government were revolutionary and, therefore, constituted a danger signal to the interests of the British commercial community. But Ali Ahmed did not heed to such opposition and went ahead with the measures which brought him and the Bardoloi Ministry a good deal of popular applause. However, the Bardoloi Ministry had to resign on 16 November, 1939 on the war efforts issue, but that Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was an able administrator was established.

After Independence he was elected on Congress ticket to the Assam Assembly on two terms (1957-1962) and (1962-1967). Earlier, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha (1952-1953) and thereafter became Advocate-General of the Government of Assam. Though Ali Ahmed occupied a senior position in the Chaliha Ministry from 1957 he was asked by Jawaharlal Nehru to join his Cabinet at the Centre in January 1966. He was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Barpeta constituency in 1971. In the Central Cabinet he was given important portfolios relating to Food and Agriculture, Cooperation, Education, Industrial Development and Company Laws. His induction to the Central Cabinet was perhaps because of his close link with, and loyalty to the Nehru family and also for his acumen in administration.

In the Congress hierarchy Ali Ahmed enjoyed an enviable position being a member of the Congress Working Committee for several years. In the Great Split of the Congress (1969), Ali Ahmed remained with Indira Gandhi, may be his deep-rooted association with the Nehru family made him adhere to Indira Gandhi's leadership till his death. He was elected to the highest post of the land - the Presidentship of the Indian Republic on 29 August, 1974, but his tenure in the office was cut short (1977) by his sudden death due to a heart attack which he suffered on his return from a tour of the South-East Asian countries only a day before. In the wake of the Emergency Ali Ahmed became the target of criticism of his detractors. It was alleged that he put his signature as President to the order on promulgation of Emergency on 25 June, 1975 at the behest of the Prime Minister, though he assured at the time of his election to Presidentship that he would not be a yes-man of the Cabinet. Notwithstanding this criticism, Ali Ahmed's personality, integrity and ability in administration were never questioned.

Suave and sober, Ali Ahmed seldom allowed anger and prejudices to get better of him, at the same time, he did not compromise with unprincipled issues. These traits of his character were apparently the key to his success in the public life and enabled him to acquire a respectable position in the society. Towards the end of his political career, he was, however, accused of being communal by certain quarters, but this accusation was hardly warranted. Mention of an incident in this connection would perhaps be relevant. In 1935, when Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Liaquat Ali Khan, Nazimuddin and a few starwarts of the Muslim League came to Assam to campaign against Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed who was pitted by the Congress against a Muslim League candidate in the Assembly poll, a common friend at the instance of Sir Mohammad Saadullah suggested that Fakhruddin Saheb should pay a courtesy call to the Muslim League leaders at Gauhati. Liaquat Ali, however, reacted to the suggestion somewhat tersely saying that he would not shake hands with a Kafir meaning Ali Ahmed. Thus, the suggestion was scotched. It is apparently difficult to believe that he could be communal with a long record of service to the country under the banner of the Congress. It is, nonetheless, a fact that he tried to bring to the Congress fold a number of Aligarh Muslim University educated youths of his community whose communal outlook was a public knowledge. If this had created an impression in certain quarters that Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was communal, that was entirely a different matter. But his love for the country and faith in secularism were profound and therefore, were not in doubt in the least.

Though politics was Ali Ahmed's forte, his deep interest in sports and other extra-mural activities was well-known. Himself a tennis player and golfer, he was elected President of the Assam Football Association and the Assam Cricket Association for several terms; he was also the Vice-President of the Assam Sports Council. In April, 1967 he was elected President of the All India Cricket Association besides being a member of the Delhi Golf Club and the Delhi Gymkhana Club since 1961. His love for music and finer arts was no less; he was deeply interested in poetical works of Ghalib. His travels in the USSR, the USA, the UK, Japan, Malaysia and many Arab countries as a Minister and afterwards as the President of India widened his urbane outlook that endeared him to all sections of the people, irrespective of caste, creed and avocation. Elegantly dressed he was always courteous but firm in what he considered to be just and fair and presented himself as a Moghul, as it were, which quality he perhaps inherited from his maternal side.

At forty Ali Ahmed married Abida (21) of a respectable family of U.P. educated in Aligarh Muslim University. When negotiations for the wedding were under way Ahmed was undergoing a jail term in Jorhat as security prisoner. At a certain stage of the negotiations Abida's family wanted to know what the prospective bride groom was doing. The answer came from one of the relatives of the would-be bridegroom: Fil hal to jail men Hai (At present he is in jail). But Destiny so ordained that Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed and Abida were happily married on 9 November, 1945. Begum Abida Saheba was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1981 from a U.P. constituency in a by-election.

Ali Ahmed passed away on 11 February, 1977 in the Rashtrapati Bhavan leaving behind wife, two sons and a daughter.

Ref:

http://presidentofindia.nic.in/

Fatima Bano : Wrestling Coach

Fatima Bano does not hide behind a veil like other women of her Muslim community - she works as a wrestling coach.

Breaking taboo in the conservative society, Bano took up wrestling as a profession and boldly challenges her male counterparts who do not provide enough space to women aspirants. Despite stiff family opposition, Bano was the first woman to fetch a gold medal for her state Madhya Pradesh, which also conferred upon her the highest award for excellence in her field.

A staunch believer in women empowerment, Bano refuses to differentiate between male and female students.

"I teach the same techniques to young boys and girls which I have learnt from my coach. Moreover, I also train them with new techniques which I pick up during my international tours," says Bano.

Bano who mastered the art under a male coach, Shakir Noor, believes that dedication can make all the difference.

Her students are all praise for her devotion and commitment to work.

"We have improved a lot with the training we have been given. We have learnt not only the techniques of the game but also the intricacies involved," said Mohammad Asif, a student.

But like other talents in India, Bano also faces financial crunch. She is awaiting government aid to further boost her efforts.

"The administration has provided no help at all even after I won so many award and fetched a gold medal," said Bano.

She feels that success is ingrained in the mind of a sportsperson and that a disciplined mind is the key to achievement.

[ http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1435337,000600030011.htm ]

Gurfran Beig : Scientist

Indian scientist wins World Meteorology Award

New Delhi, July. 1 (PTI): Gurfran Beig of the Indian Institute of Meteorology, Pune, is among 18 international scientists to bag world meteorological award for research on temperature trends.

Norbert Gerber-Mumm International Award for 2005 by the World Meteorolgical organization in Geneva was given to the scientist on Wednesday for his research paper "Review of Mesospheric Temperature Trends", in Geneva.

The award is given annually to an original scientific paper on the influence of meteorology on various fields or influences of other fields on meteorology.

Beig's team was involved in a comprehensive review of long-term trends in the temperature from 50 to 100 km. in the atmosphere due to human induced effects like greenhouse gases. The research paper was published in 2003 in the Reviews of Geophysics.

The team came to the conclusion that the changes due to human activity could result in effect on radio and TV communications, space vehicles and possible effects on climate and weather patterns.

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200507012022.htm?headline=Indian...

Hakim Ajmal Khan [1863-1927] : Medicine, Freedom Fighter

Hakim Ajmal Khan
Charu Bahri
indianmuslims.info

Hakim Ajmal Khan was born in 1863 to the illustrious Sharif Khani family of Delhi, a family that traces its lineage to court physicians who served the Mughal emperor Babur.

He studied the Quran and traditional Islamic knowledge including Arabic and Persian in his childhood, before turning his energy to the study of medicine under the wise guidance of his senior relatives, all of whom were well-known physicians.

His grandfather Hakim Sharif Khan sought to promote the practice of Tibb-i-unani or Unani medicine and for this purpose, had setup the Sharif Manzil hospital-cum-college that was known throughout the subcontinent as one of the finest philanthropic Unani hospitals that charged no fees from poor patients.

Once qualified, Hakim Ajmal Khan was appointed chief physician to the Nawab of Rampur in 1892. Soon he met Syed Ahmed Khan and was further appointed a trustee of the Aligarh college, now known as the Aligarh Muslim University.

Sharif family home in Delhi

As his family of Hakims served as doctors to the British rulers of India, in his early days Hakim Khan supported the British. He was part of a deputation of Muslims that met the Viceroy of India in Shimla in 1906 and even supported the British during World War I. In fact, the British Government awarded him the titles Haziq-ul-Mulk and Qaiser-e-Hind for his contribution to the expansion of the Unani system of medicine.

But once the British government changed its stance and sought to derecognize the practice of Indian schools of medicine such as Ayurveda and Unani, this turn of events set Hakim Ajmal Khan gathering fellow physicians on one platform to protest against the Raj.

Actually, Hakim Ajmal Khan’s political career commenced with his writing for the Urdu weekly Akmal-ul-Akhbar, which was founded in 1865-70 and run by his family.

Subsequently, when the British clamped down on the freedom movement and arrested many Muslim leaders, Hakim Ajmal Khan solicited Mahatma Gandhi’s assistance and together they joined others to start the Khilafat movement. He was elected the President of the Congress in 1921, and joined other Congress leaders to condemn the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. He was imprisoned for many months by police authorities. Hakim Khan’s pursued his political career side-by-side his medicinal and educational endeavours. Often, the interests overlapped.

Hakim Ajmal Khan resigned from his position at the AMU when he realized that its management would not endorse the Non-Cooperation Movement launched by the Indian National Congress. He envisaged a place of learning that would be free of government control. He worked towards this aim with the help of other Muslim luminaries. Together, they laid the foundations of the Jamia Millia Islamia (Islamic National University) in Aligarh in 1920, in response to Mahatma Gandhi's call for Indians to boycott government institutions. The JMI subsequently moved to Delhi and slowly grew to be the prestigious university it is today.

Ajmal Khan served as its first Chancellor until his death. He was a key patron of the university, financially bailing it out of sticky situations throughout the rest of his life.

Hindustani Dawakhana building

In fact, Hakim Ajmal Khan also established the Tibbia College for higher studies in medicine. Realizing the need for private funding, he simultaneously established a commercial venture the Hindustani Dawakhana to manufacture Unani and Ayurvedic medicines and issued a diktat that doctors practicing in the Sharif Manzil could only recommend medicines from the Dawakhana. The Dawakhana is known to have patented 84 magical herbal formulas.

Tibbia College is presently located Delhi’s Karol Bagh area. As a mark of respect to this man, Karol Bagh’s most popular part is still called Ajmal Khan Road.

Hakim Ajmal Khan died in 1927. In the ensuing years, both the Sharif Manzil and the Dawakhana have languished for want of upkeep and restoration.

Although Hakim Khan renounced his government awards during the freedom movement, Indians who appreciated his work and held him in high esteem conferred upon him the title Masih-ul-Mulk (Healer of the Nation).

Freedom fighter, educationalist and beyond doubt, the greatest contributor to Unani medicine in India in the 20th century: Hakim Ajmal Khan.

[copyright text and images : indianmuslims.info]

Idris Hassan Latif [b.1923] : Armed Forces

Charu Bahri
IndianMuslims.info

Air Chief Marshal Idris Hassan Latif (PVSM) was born on June 9, 1923 in Hyderabad (then Deccan, now Andhra Pradesh) to the family of the chief engineer of the state of Hyderabad Hasan Latif. Post-retirement, his father took up the position of principal of Osmania Engineering College. While his father was settled in Hyderabad, Latif’s family was from Bombay. One of their ancestral properties Latifia on Pandita Ramabai Road still exists.

Fond of riding, tennis and cricket, Idris Latif’s extra-curricular interests also include photography, which is still a passion. He also enjoys Urdu poetry. He married Bilkees Latif.

Idris Latif studied at the Nizam’s College in Hyderabad. He was still studying when he was commissioned in the Air Force in 1942 and sent for training to Ambala. Post-training, he was posted to the coastal defence flight at Karachi to carry out anti-submarine duties in the Arabian seas. During this tenure, he flew vintage biplane aircrafts like the Wapiti, Audaxes and Harts. Afterwards, he was among the first few pilots to be trained in England alongside the operational squadrons of the RAF on Hurricanes and Spitfire fighters.

Returning to India in 1944, he took part in the Burmese campaign on the Arakan Front, during which he flew sorties in the Hawker Hurricane against ground targets for No.3 squadron.

His second stint in Burma was for the No.9 squadron. Interestingly, he was close to his Commanding Officer Sqn. Ldr. Asghar Khan and another pilot, Flt. Lt. Noor Khan. Both these pilots went on to become Chiefs of Air Staff of the Pakistan Air Force.

But for Latif, neither the fact that he was a Muslim nor that he would bid farewell to his close friends swayed his mind to join Pakistan’s Air Force. As a Muslim, he could have but he strongly believed his future was in India. Obviously, religion and country merited his separate attention.

Post-WW2, at the dawn of India’s independence, Sqn. Ldr. Latif was promoted as the Commanding Officer of No.4 Oorials who flew the fighter Hawker Tempest. When India became a republic in 1950, he led the first fly past over New Delhi.

Amongst the early honors bequeathed on him for his excellence in service was his nomination to Indonesia along with two other officers to help induct Vampire fighters into the newly-born Indonesian Air Force. Subsequently, in 1961 he was sent to USA as the Air Attaché to the Indian Ambassador. During this period, Latif flew the USAF, F-S fighter and concurrently held the position of Air Attaché to the Indian High Commissioner’s Office in Canada. A posting that would have been limited to three years was extended to a second tenure by then Air Marshal Arjan Singh.

After his return, Latif held several postings, Air Defence Controller and later Senior Air Staff Officer with the Eastern Air Command, then Station Commander of the Lohegaon Airbase at Pune. At Lohegaon, Latif flew and commanded a medley of aircrafts, fighters, bombers, four-engine transport and WW2 Liberator aircrafts.

Subsequently, Latif moved to Air HQ in a newly created post of Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Plans) in the rank of Air Vice-Marshal. This is when he assessed the frontline combat squadrons and prepared modernization plans for the air force. During the 1971 war, Latif was still the ACAS (Plans). In appreciation of his efforts, Latif was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) later in 1971.

In 1974, Latif was promoted to Air Marshal and appointed Air Officer In-Charge of Administration at Air HQ and afterwards AOC-in-C Central Air Command and Maintenance Command. Latif then joined the Air HQ as the Vice Chief of Air Staff in May 1977 until September 1, 1978, when he was appointed Chief of Air Staff (CAS) of the Indian Air Force.

Besides being the first Muslim CAS of the Indian Air Force, Latif is well-known for his efforts to re-equip and modernize the air force. He was able to convince the government to approve the procurement of the Jaguar strike aircraft, a proposal pending approval for over 8 years. He also negotiated with Russia, as a result of which the MiG-23 and later, in 1981, the MiG-25 advanced interceptor-reconnaissance aircraft was introduced to the IAF.

Air Chief Marshal Latif remained active flying throughout his career spanning nearly four decades – from vintage planes to the MiG-25, which he flew just prior to retiring on August 31, 1981. During an official visit to France, he is known to have flown the Mirage-2000.

Post-retirement, Latif held the posts of Governor of Maharastra, member of the reconstituted Public Enterprises Selection Board and Indian Ambassador to France. He returned to India in 1988 and settled in Hyderabad.

A soft-spoken man, Air Chief Marshal Latif is a strict disciplinarian. As many men of the forces, he emphasizes punctuality, obedience and the dignity of man – trusting human beings for their capabilities and allowing them to show results.

Irfan Hussain [1964-1999] : Cartoonist

Irfan was a political cartoonist working with 'Outlook' magazine. He was grandson of Nagpur's leading businessman - Mulla Ghulam Abbas Mohammedali. His father Mansoor Husain runs a medical shop in Nagpur. Irfan got his degree in Commercial Art from Nagpur. He came in the limelight in 1986 when he won the first prize for his caricature of V.P. Singh at the Hindustan Times cartoon contest award in Delhi.

He worked as political cartoonist with the prestigious publications like The Pioneer and Outlook. He was kidnapped and killed, his body was found on 8 March 1999.

Link:

Irfan's cartoon at jaalmag.com

[photo: Irfan with his wife, http://cagle.msnbc.com/crn/hussain.asp]

Irfan Khan Pathan [b.1984] : Cricket

Irfan Khan Pathan

Irfan Khan Pathan is a cricketer and member of the Indian national cricket team since 2003. He was born in Baroda in Gujarat on 27 October 1984. He made his international debut against Australia in Adelaide at the age of 19. Following some good performances at the under-19 level.

He has taken 5 wickets in an innings six times in Test cricket, and once in one-day internationals, against Zimbabwe in the 2005 Videocon Tri-Series. His spell in the final match against Pakistan in the 2004 tour was arguably his best performance in ODI cricket. His trademark weapon is an inswinger which darts into a right-hand batsman, and he also has the ability to reverse swing the old ball. In the ODI format, Pathan has been particularly impressive, frequently giving India early breakthroughs. He now consistently ranks in or near the top 10 of the LG ICC cricket ratings.

He is developing into an all-rounder, as part of a reallocation of responsibilities under the new Indian cricket coach Greg Chappell. Chappell has identified potential in Pathan's batting, which is regarded as technically correct. With his strong fast bowlers physique, Pathan has the ability to strike the ball long and clean. Pathan has recently been used as both an opener and a top order batsman in late 2005 in one-day cricket, making 83 runs at more than a run a ball against Sri Lanka in a Test match. He also proved his enhanced batting skills by scoring 82 and 93 against Sri Lanka, opening the batting in the December 2005 New Delhi Test, when regular opener Virender Sehwag was hospitalised with illness. He scores primarily in front of the wicket, his main strength being his ability to drive. He has shown his batting strength against Pakistan (India's traditional rival) by hitting 90 in the second Test in Faisalabad (21-25 January, 2006).

Pathan recently took a hat trick in the first over of the Karachi Test against Pakistan becoming the first bowler to take a hat-trick in the first over of a Test match. It was also the highest in terms of total averages of the batsmen dismissed (130.18: Salman Butt 34.27, Younis Khan 46.04, Mohammad Yousuf 49.86). [1] This was also the first hat trick by a paceman from India and the first hat trick for any Indian bowler in an away match. Ironically, India lost the match by a sizeable margin, but his performances in the ODI series against Pakistan played a vital role in clinching the series in convincing fashion.

India's left-arm seamer Irfan Pathan was chosen as the International Sports Personality of the Year 2004 recently and was also named the ICC Emerging Player of the Year 2004.

The nineties saw a decline in swing bowlers and the emergence of speedsters who hurled the ball at a speed of over 100 miles per hour. With speed and power being the name of the game, Pathan among the present lot is the only bowler who relies more on swing than pace. Like his predecessors, Kapil Dev and his idol Wasim Akram, the Baroda paceman swings the ball either ways like a banana, taking cricket back to its glorious days.

Ismail Merchant [1936-2005] : Film maker

Ismail Merchant born in Mumbai 1936 and dided in London in 2005. He is famous for Merchant-Ivory Productions which made 40 films and bagged 6 Oscar awards. He also directed a movie in Urdu called "muhaafiz."

http://www.merchantivory.com/ismail.html

Javed N Agrewala : Science

Dr J N Agrewala, a senior scientist with the Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH), was today conferred the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award, 2005, by Dr Manmohan Singh for his contributions in the field of medical sciences. The award carries a citation, a certificate and Rs 2 lakh.

Dr Javed N. Agrewala obtained his Ph.D in biomedical organic chemistry from the S N Medical College, Agra, in 1986. He has worked as a visiting scientists at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, London, and is a fellow of National Academy of Sciences, India.

Dr Agrewala joined IMTECH in 1989 and has since been working on the cross-talk between white blood cells in the human body.

Khalid Hameed [ ] : Physician

Dr. Khalid Hameed CBE

Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer of the Cromwell Hospital, London

He Chairs the Commonwealth Youth Exchange Council. He is a Board member of the British Muslim Research Centre, and also the Ethnic Minorities Foundation. He is an Executive member of the Maimonides Foundation and a Trustee of the Little Foundation. Dr Hameed supports various charities and was awarded the Sternberg Award for 2005 for his contribution to further Christian - Muslim - Jewish Relations. He has received serveral national and international honours from various countries including the United Kingdom.

He is involved with matters of Interfaith and lectures frequently on this subject.

In 2006 he was appointed High Sheriff of Greater London.

source : thersa.org

M. Hidayatullah [b.1905] : Chief Justice, Supreme Court of India

Mohammad Hidayatullah

B.A. (Nagpur); M.A. (Cantab); Barrister-at-Law, O.B.E.(1946)

17 Dec 1905: born

1922: Govt. High School, Raipur.
1926: Phillip's Scholar, Morris College, Nagpur.
1927-1930: B.A. 2nd order of merit Malak Gold Medalist, Trinity College, Cambridge.
1929: President, Indian Majlis, Cambridge
1930: English and Law Tripos, Lincoln's Inn, Barrister-at-Law.

1930-1946: Advocate, Nagpur High Court.
1931-1933: Member, Nagpur Municipal Committee.
1934-1953: Nagpur University Executive and Academic Councils, Court etc.
1935-1943: Lecturer, University College of Law.

1942-1943: Government Pleader.
1943-1945: Nagpur Improvement Trust
1943-1946: Advocate-General, Central Provinces & Berar.
1946: Member, Nagpur Bar Council.
1949-1953: Dean of the Faculty of Law.

1950-1952: Chief Commissioner, Madhya Pradesh Bharat Scouts and Guides.
1950-1952: Vice-President, National Council Bharat Scouts and Guides.
1950: Awarded the highest award Silver Elephant. Adviser, International Fellowship of Former Scouts and Guides.
1954: Member, Faculty of Law Saugar University ; Court Vikram University and Aligarh Muslim University.
1954-1956: Puisne Judge.
1954-1956: Chief Justice, Nagpur High Court.
1 Nov 1956- 28 Nov 1958: Chief Justice, High Court of Madhya Pradesh.
1 Dec 1958: Judge, Supreme Court.

25 Feb 1968: Appointed as Chief Justice of India.
16 Dec 1970: Retired.

M. J. Akbar [b.1951] : Journalist

Mubashar Jahangir Akbar was born in 1951, he is well known Indian journalist and author. He's the founder and editor-in-chief of The Asian Age, a daily multi-edition Indian newspaper with a global perspective. He has written several books, including Byline (New Delhi: Chronicle Books, 2003), a biography of Jawaharlal Nehru titled 'Nehru-The Making of India', a book on Kashmir titled 'Kashmir: Behind the Vale', 'Riot After Riot' and 'India: The Siege Within'. He also authored 'The Shade of Swords', a cohesive history of Jihad.

M J Akbar is also the editor-in-chief of The Deccan Chronicle, a Hyderabad-based news daily.

He was elected to the Lok Sabha from Kishanganj, Bihar on Congress ticket in 1989.

mjakbar.org

Matin Zuberi [1930-2006]: Academics

Matin Zuberi

A professor of international politics and disarmament studies at Jawharlal Nehru University, Prof. Zuberi was arguably India's most perceptive academic observer of international nuclear developments. His contributions went beyond academics.

In three stints � 1990-91, 1998-99 and 2000-01 � he was a member of the National Security Advisory Board. On the last occasion he participated in the preparation of the Draft Indian Nuclear Doctrine.

Earlier, he was a member of the Indian delegation to the United Nations Conference on Disarmament and Development.

Prof. Zuberi was born at Marehra in Etah district of Uttar Pradesh on July 15, 1930. After obtaining his Master's degree from Aligarh Muslim University, he went to St. Anthony's and Balliol colleges in the University of Oxford. On his return home, he was appointed senior fellow at the Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla. He joined JNU in 1978 and continued there till 1995.

Prof. Zuberi was also a member of the executive council of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses and the governing body of the Society of Indian Ocean Studies.

At the time of his death, Prof. Zuberi was working on a study, "Fateful decisions of the nuclear age." Despite his illness, he dictated a couple of paragraphs for an article on the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal.

Source:
The Hindu

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad : [ 1888-1958]

A TRIBUTE TO MAULANA AZAD ON HIS
48th DEATH ANNIVERSARY

By: Kaleem Kawaja, Washington DC

Maulana Azad was born in Mecca on 11 Nov 1888 and died in New Delhi on 22 Feb 1958.

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad ranks among the top builders of modern India and among the top freedom fighters, who dedicated his entire life to liberate India from the British colonial rule. Much has been written about this prince among Indians of his century. He was not only enlightened, erudite, wise and humble, he was also a man who often led from the front and set personal examples for others. Much has been written about Azad in the last six decades. Today let us explore how some top Indian leaders viewed him, and what were his own views.

How Others Viewed Azad:

Mahatma Gandhi: "Maulana Azad is the most forceful, truthful, and fearless satyagrahi and fighter against oppression and injustice that I have come across".

Jawaharlal Nehru: "Though I am grateful to all my companions, I would like to mention especially Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, whose erudition has delighted me incredibly, and has sometimes overwhelmed me. In Azad along with the good qualities of the past, the graciousness, the deep learning and tolerance, there is a strange and unique mixture of the urges of today and the modern outlook".

"Maulana Azad was a very special representative in a high degree, of the great composite culture which has gradually grown in India. He represented the synthesis of various cultures which had flown in and lost themselves in the ocean of Indian life and humanity, affecting and changing them and being changed themselves by them. In that sense, I can hardly conceive of any other person who can replace him, because the age which produced him is past."

Azad's Own Views:

"I am a Muslim and profoundly conscious of the fact that I have inherited Islam's glorious tradition of the last fourteen hundred years. I am not prepared to loose even a small part of that legacy. The history and teachings of Islam, its arts and letters, its culture and civilization are part of my wealth and it is my duty to cherish and guard them. But, with all these feelings, I have another equally deep realization, born out of my life's experience which is strengthened and not hindered by the Islamic spirit. I am equally proud of the fact that I am an Indian, an essential part of the indivisible unity of the Indian nationhood, a vital factor in its total makeup, without which this noble edifice will remain incomplete."

" If the whole world is our country and is to be honored, the dust of India has the first place. If all mankind are our brothers, then the Indians have the first place."

"Not only is our national freedom impossible without Hindu-Muslim unity, we also can not create without it, the primary principles of humanity. If an angel were to tell me: 'Discard Hindu-Muslim unity and within 24 hours I will give freedom to India' I would prefer Hindu-Muslim unity. For the delay in the attainment of freedom will be a loss to India alone, but if the Hindu-Muslim unity disappears, that will be a loss to the whole humanity."

"It was India's historic destiny that many human races, cultures, and religions should flow to her, and that many a caravan should find rest here... One of the last of these caravans was that of the followers of Islam. This came here and settled for good. In India everything bears the stamp of the joint endeavors of the Hindus and Muslims. Our languages were different, but we grew to use a common language. Our manners and customs were dissimilar, but they produced a new synthesis. No fantasy or artificial scheming to separate and divide us can break this unity."

Azad in Wikipedia

[photo: The portrait of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, painted by K.K. Hebbar, was unveiled by the then President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, on 16 December 1959. The portrait was donated by the Azad Portrait Committee of Members of Parliament. ]

Maulana Fazle Haq Khairabadi : freedom fighter

He was the famous freedom fighter,philospher and learned person belongs to Khairabad town of district Sitapur. He passed a 'Fatwa of Jihad' against british government in 1857. He was imprisoned to Celluler Jail in Andman and Nikobar he died there in 1861.

Famous poet / writter Jannisar Akhtar and Javed Akhtar are from their family.

Letters, prison sketches and autobiographical literature
Sitapur information on Khairabadi
Imtina-un-Nazir: Persian book by Maulana Khairabadi.

Maulana Mujibullah Nadwi [1918-2006] : scholar

Maulana Mujibullah Nadwi eminent scholar and tireless worker for the community was born in Ghosi town of then Azamgarh district on 4 January 1918.

He worked as research fellow in Darul Musannifin from 1946 to 1967. He was Nazim or prinicipal of Jamiatur Rashad for 43 years and edited monthly magazine of the madrasah.

He was a founder member of the Islamic Fiqh Academy and the All India Milli Council. He was member of the excutive committe of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board.

He breathed hislast on 12 May 2006 in Lucknow, and was buried in a graveyard near Jamiatur Rashad.

Maulana Shibli Nomani: Scholar

Maulana Shibli Nu'mani (r.a.) is well-known as the author of the celebrated and widely read biography of the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, (p.b.u.h.), under the title of 'Sirat-al-Nabi.' Another of his authoritative works is a biography of the life of Imam Abu Hanifah (r.a.) under the title of 'Sirat-al-Nu'man.'

This photo was donated from the Archives of
Mr. Abdul Hameed Saifi

Source:

http://muslim-canada.org/shibli.htm

Mazharul Haque [1886-1930] : Freedom Fighter

Maulana Mazharul Haque

by Charu Bahri
IndianMuslims.info

Maulana Mazharul Haque was born to a rich landlord, Sheikh Ahmedullah, in Bihar in December 1866. An only son, he had two sisters Ghafrunisha and Kaneez Fatma.

His primary education was delivered at home by a Maulvi, but he passed his matriculation from the Patna Collegiate in 1886. He then traveled to Lucknow for higher studies, where he was admitted to Cannig College. However, it is said that he found it difficult to adjust to circumstances and instead, chose to leave for England the same year to pursue a course in law. He returned to India qualified in law in 1891 and set up a legal practice in Patna. He even joined the judicial service as a Munsif, on the advice of a foreign friend. It is perhaps not surprising though, that he soon developed differences with the District & Sessions Judge and had to resign. Subsequently, he started a practice at Chapra.

He is said to have made a significant contribution to relief efforts launched during the famine in Saran district of Bihar in 1897. But Maulana Mazharul Haque's public life actually commenced with the creation of the Bihar Provincial Conference, a move he supported as he believed in the need for the constitution of Bihar as a separate province.

In 1906, he moved to Patna to continue to practice law. It was also in 1906 that Maulana Mazharul Haque was elected Vice Chairman of Bihar Congress Committee.

Mazharul Haque helped organize the Home Rule Movement in Bihar and was its President in 1916. He actively participated in the Champaran Satyagraha for which he was sentenced to 3 months imprisonment.

Subsequently, when the Non Cooperation and Khilafat Movements were launched, Mazharul Haque gave up his lucrative legal practice and his elected post as member of the Imperial Legislative Council and turned all his efforts to the freedom struggle. By now, he was a firm believer in complete Independence being "the birthright of every Nation"�.

Mazharul Haque was also a fervent believer in democratic decentralization and he organized the Panchayats in Saran district towards meeting this vision. He also made many requests for better educational facilities in Bihar, especially for free and compulsory primary education.

Maulana Mazharul Haque is known to have stayed with his maternal uncle Dr. Saiyyad Mahmood in Siwan during the anti-purdah movement launched in Bihar in response to the Non Cooperation Movement of 1920. Mahatma Gandhi sought to bring women also into mainstream politics, to strengthen the resistance against British rule as well as empower them to play a more active role in society. Literally, purdah means "veil" and the system involves women being confined indoors or wearing a protective veil whenever they venture outdoors. The purdah system espoused by Muslim and many Hindu families, especially in Bihar, meant that women remained behind men in all spheres of life. Around this time, he was approached by students of the Patna University desiring to support Gandhi's call to boycott Government run institutions. The Bihar Vidyapeeth, then headquartered at an ashram he constructed on the Patna-Danapur road thus came into being. The ashram became well known as the Sadaquat Ashram, it now serves as the headquarters of the Congress party in Patna, the capital of the state of Bihar.

Sadaqt Ashram in 2006.

An avid writer and poet, in 1921, he started "The Motherland" an English weekly journal (later bi-weekly) which was used to propagate thoughts and ideals of the Non Cooperation Movement.

While Maulana Mazharul Haque's birthplace was village Brahmpur, Thana Maner of Patna district, by 1900 his affinity to village Faridpur of district Siwan (then Saran district) where his family held a lot of land was well established. Here he constructed a home and named it "Ashiana". Ashiana was visited by a number of India's leaders of the times, such as Pandit Motilal Nehru in 1927, Sarojini Devi in 1928 and afterwards over the years Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, K.F. Nariman and Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad.

Mazharul Haque retired from politics during the last years of his life. He died in his home, "Ashiana" in January 1930.

In remembrance of this worthy freedom fighter and educationalist, in April 1988, the Maulana Mazharul Haque Arabic and Persian University was founded at Patna.

Book on Maulana Mazharul Haque : By Publication division of Govt. of India.

find the above book in a library near you

Mirza Hameedullah Beg [b. 1913] : Chief Justice, Supreme Court of India

Mirza Hameedullah Beg
M.A. (Cantab), Barrister-at-Law;

22 Feb 1913: Born at Lucknow. Son of the Hon'ble Mirza Samiullah Beg, former Chief Justice of Hyderabad State,

Education :
St. George's Summer School, Hyderabad (Deccan);

1929: Obtained a Gold Medal for a record performance securing first position in Senior Cambridge H.S.L.C. Examination.

1931: joined Trinity College, Cambridge, England; and obtained Honours in Archeaological and Anthropological and Historical Triposes.
1934: B.A. (Honours) degree in 1934.

M.A. degree, of the Cambridge University.

Attended advanced classes in Economics, Public Finance, Political Theory and Organisation, Constitutional Law and International Law, at the London School of Economics.

joined the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn.

Obtained a first class first in Hindu and Mohammedan Laws at the Bar Examinations held by the Council of Legal Education in England.

Feb 1941: called to the Bar.
1942: begin practising at Meerut and Allahabad as an Advocate of the Allahabad High Court. 1943-1946: Lecturer on Constitutional Law and on Equity at Meerut College, Meerut.
1946-1963: Allahabad University, On the Law of Evidence and on Human Law and Ancient Law, from 1949: enrolled as an Advocate of the Federal Court of India, and, subsequently of the Supreme Court of India, built up an extensive practice on all sides; was Standing Counsel to the Allahabad University, and to the U.P. Sunni Central Wakf Board, and appeared frequently for Municipal bodies.

11 Jun 1963: raised to the Bench of the Allahabad High Court. Sat both on the Criminal and Civil sides and then on the Tax Bench at the Allahabad High Court;
1967-1970: appointed Company Judge of the Allahabad High Court and was also incharge of the matrimonial and testamentary jurisdiction of the High Court.

Jan 1971: appointed Chief Justice of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh.
10 Dec 1971: appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of India.Member of the International Law Association and of the World Association of Judges.

29 Jan 1977: Appointed as Chief Justice of India.
21 Feb 1978: Retired.

Mohamed Rela [ ] : Medicine

Dr Mohamed Rela, a UK-based Liver transplant surgeon of international fame and Indian origin. At 47 years, he is considered to be among the top liver transplant surgeons of the world. Dr Rela has a record of 800 liver transplants against his name, including the one preformed on his youngest patient � a five-day-old Irish boy, which won him entry into the Guinness Book of Records in 2000.

The surgeon, who heads one of the four top-notch transplant teams at the King's College and Hospitals, London, has pioneered the `split liver' transplant surgery which involves the division of a healthy donor organ to ensure that two patients' lives are saved. In addition, he is an expert at live donor transplants.

However, the journey to the top for this native of Mayiladuthurai village in Tamil Nadu has been a rough one. A student of the well known Kalakshetra School, Chennai, and later a graduate in medicine from The Stanley Medical College, Chennai, Dr Rela says he always wanted to be a doctor, especially a surgeon. However, in Chennai he had to wait for two years before he could specialise in surgery. So, after an MS from Stanley, he went to the UK, where he did an MS from Edinburgh and also got an FRCS by 1988.

For five to six years Dr Rela worked as a surgeon in various hospitals in the UK before he made it to the prestigious King's College and Hospital in 1994. "The first liver transplant was done here in 1989 and I was really fortunate to enter the field and King's College at the right time. It gave me the opportunity to develop new techniques. I have now worked for over 10 years in the field of liver transplantation at the largest liver transplant programme in Europe, where over 190 liver transplant operations are performed every year, " he says.

Dr Rela started the successful programme of split liver transplantation at King's College Hospital and popularised it in the country. King's now has the largest experience in the world for split liver transplantation with results not matched by other major international units. It is also the only centre in the UK performing living related liver transplantation.

Having published more than 100 scientific papers and trained a large number of surgeons who have set up the liver transplant programme around the world, Dr Rela is now concentrating on developing techniques which would help do away with liver transplant. These include, cell therapy and stem cells. The third area is research on new immunosuppressant drugs, which will be better tolerated by the human body, and therefore reduce the rate of rejection.

In cell therapy, the thinking is that instead of replacing the liver, a single cell injected into the recipient would slowly grow into a normal liver. Experiments have been conducted from foetal cells, cadaver cell and even cells from certain animals like dogs, but there are ethical questions attached to these procedures.

Stem cell therapy, on the other hand, is an area that needs to be more intensively researched before it becomes reality, says Dr Rela. The surgeon believes in sharing of expertise, especially among developing countries. He has been personally involved in building up the infrastructure in some units apart from performing operations at different centres.

Dr Rela's association with India has increased in recent times after his collaborative efforts at the Hyderabad-based Global Hospitals, which has established a full-fledged liver transplant facility. The Technology Development Board (TDB) venture fund, under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), has provided a funding of Rs 10 crore. During the last one year, Dr Rela has been the main driving force at the Global Hospitals, conducting liver transplants in Hyderabad.

Dr. Rela was called on to treat Pramod Mahajan of BJP.

source:
The Hindu Business Line

Mohammad Hamid Ansari [ ] : diplomat

Mohammad Hamid Ansari is the Chairman of the 5th Statutory National Commission for Minorities.

Hamid Ansari studied at the St. Xavier College, Kolkata and the Aligarh Muslim University and joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1961. He was Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Afganistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia,High Commission to Australia and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in the New York. He was awarded the PADMA SHRI in 1984.

Ansari has been the Vice-Chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University and a Visiting Professor at the Centre for West Asian and African Studies,Jawaharlal Nehru University and the Academy for Third World Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia. He was Chairman of the Advisory Committee for Oil Diplomacy of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Co-Chairman of the India-UK Round Table and Member of the National Security Advisory Board. He has been a Distinguished Fellow of the Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi. He is a Trustee of the Bapu Sadbhavana and Shiksha Trust. Ansari has edited Iran Today: Twenty Years After the Islamic Revolution (Rupa, New Delhi, 2005) and has written a number of academic papers and newspaper articles on West Asian politics.

[photo and text from NCM website]

Mohammad Mujeeb [1902-1985] : Academia

"Professor Mohammad Mujeeb was born in 1902 in Lucknow. His father Mohammad Naseem, was a successful lawyer and was counted among the prominent progressive Muslims. After getting his Senior Cambridge Certificate from a convent school in Dehradun, he was sent to Oxford where he graduated in History.

In Germany, where he spent four years learning printing, Russian and music, he came in contact with Dr. Zakir Hussain and decided to collaborate with him in establishing the Jamia Millia Islamia. He worked for this University from 1926 to 1973, the last twenty-five years as its Vice-Chancellor. He died of heart failure in Delhi in January 1985.

His works in Urdu include History of the Indian Civilization- the Ancient Period; History of Political Thoughts, Russian Literature; The Story of the World and several dramas and short stories. In English his major works are: World History-Our Heritage; Ghalib; Dr. Zakir Hussain- a Biography and two collections of his speeches: Education and Traditional Values and Islamic Influence on Indian Society, The Indian Muslims.

During the Independence movement and afterwards, he remained associated with Congress leaders. He was sent to Liberia, China, Russia, Yugoslavia and Turkey in different capacities and was a delegate to UN(1949) and UNESCO(1954). The government awarded him Padma Bhushan in 1965."

-- from the flap of his book "The Indian Muslims" published by Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, 2003. Photo from Jamia website.

Mumtaz Begum [1956- ] : Politics

Mumtaz Begum born in 1956 is the first Muslim and fourth Women mayor of Bangalore. She was elected as a Congress nominee on 30 November 2005.

She is also the vice-chair for the All India Council of Mayors.

She was elected Deputy Mayor in 1984 on Janata Party ticket.

Other posts held :

2002-2005: Executive Committee member, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee(KPCC).

1997-2002: General Secretary, KPCC.

1995-97 : General Secretary, Bangalore City District Congress Committee.

1993-97 : President, Shivajinagar Block Congress Committee.

1991-95 : General Secretary, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, Mahila Wing.

Mushirul Hasan : academia

By Charu Bahri
for IndianMuslims.info

Mushirul Hasan, son of well-known historian Professor Mohibbul Hasan was born on August 15, 1949 in Kolkata. His early childhood passed by in an anglo-Indian neighborhood in the city (Kolkata). At the age of seven his family moved to Aligarh, where his father held a teaching position in the history department at the Aligarh Muslim University. The transition from his surroundings in metropolitan Kolkata to Urdu-speaking Aligarh was marked in that it exposed him to new perspectives and a different, more orthodox Muslim community. While growing up, his mothers’ was his sole influence insofar as religion was concerned. No wonder then that his new environs by no means restricted his and his siblings’ student life. Jam sessions in their living room, cinema on Sundays and that too, to see English films, Mushirul Hasan was slowly but surely developing an all-round personality that would stand him in good stead in the years to come.

He studied physics, chemistry and math and even Persian literature. As his father did not pressurize any one subject on him, he absorbed the essence of many subjects before finally zeroing in on history. During his senior student life, Hasan took an active part in debates, student politics and interacting with people from different walks of life. He lauds his father as well as the people and environment of the history department at Aligarh (AMU) for his firmly-rooted secular values.

In fact, Hasan’s interest in secularism was so strong that he relocated to Delhi to study modern history, which covered the tragedy of the Partition. He subsequently studied at Cambridge University, UK, where again, his exposure to Western ideas and a multicultural society helped him settle in quickly and work towards completing his doctorate within three years. He then returned to India and began his teaching career as a reader in the department of history at the Jamia Millia Islamia (New Delhi).

In July 1981 Hasan was appointed professor of modern Indian history at the Jamia Millia Islamia at the young age of thirty-one which in fact is the youngest ever professorial appointment in the subject in India.

Professor Hasan was also appointed director of the Academy of Third World Studies at the Jamia Millia Islamia on February 15, 1992, a position he continues to hold. Over the ensuing years, he held the positions of Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Jamia Millia Islamia (1992 to 1996) and officiating Vice-Chancellor, Jamia Millia Islamia (1996 to 1997).

On June 10, 2004 he was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the Jamia Millia Islamia.

He has been and continues as member of many prestigious professional and learning organizations, such as the governing body of Zakir Husain College of the University of Delhi and the university court of the Aligarh Muslim University.

Vice-Chancellor Mushirul Hasan has also been visiting professor at the Central European University, Budapest, International Institute of Languages and Civilizations, (INALCO) Paris, University of Virginia, Charlottesville and fellow at the Institute of Advanced Study, Berlin, and held professorial fellowships at the Nehru Memorial Museum & Library in New Delhi, Centre of Oriental Studies in Rome and the Centre of Indian Studies at the Maison des Sciences de l’Homme in Paris, to name a few.

He has written numerous books (listed below) and is currently said to be writing Modern India as part of a four-volume series entitled India 2000.

Professor Hasan is well-known for his continuing staunch stand on secularism, liberal and democratic values and free speech, which is best elucidated by his declaration that Salman Rushdie’s Satanic Verses should not have been banned, since freedom of speech must be preserved. At the time, he faced assault from a large mob of students, about 250 strong, who dissented from his open stance. He stood firm however, for his belief that as a teacher, he should be allowed to express his views and explained that quite asides making the issue a religious one, he strongly felt that Muslims should not project themselves as intolerant.

Vice-Chancellor Hasan envisages a democratic movement based on inner reflection on ways to reform Muslim society in keeping with the Quran and Sunnah, to make its society more egalitarian and especially to promote emancipation and education for women.

For his excellence in teaching and scholarly achievements, Vice-Chancellor Hasan has been awarded D. Lit (Honoris Causa) by the Uttar Pradesh Rajarshi Tandon Open University at Allahabad in 2006, the Professor Sukumar Sen Memorial Gold Medal by The Asiatic Society of Kolkata in 2006, a Ford Foundation (SARC) Fellowship by the Institute of Islamic Studies, University of Oxford in 2002-3, the D.P. Singhal Scholarship by the University of Queensland in Brisbane in 2003 and the Ramkrishna Jaidayal Harmony Award for English writing based on his fortnightly column in the Indian Express newspaper in 1999.

Publications

To read more of Vice-Chancellor Professor Mushirul Hasan’s thoughts, refer his books:

The Nehrus: Personal Histories, Roli Books, Delhi & Mercury Press, London, 2006

A Moral Reckoning: Muslim Intellectuals in Nineteenth-Century Delhi, Oxford University Press, Delhi, 2005

Pluralism to Separatism: Qasbas in Colonial Awadh, Oxford University Press, Delhi, 2004 (translated into Urdu, 2005)

John Company to the Republic: A Story of Modern India, Roli, Delhi, 2001 (translated into Urdu 2002)

Islam in the Subcontinent: Muslims in a Plural Society, Manohar, Delhi, 2002

Making Sense of History: Society, Culture and Politics, Manohar, Delhi, 2003

The Legacy of A Divided Nation: India’s Muslims since Independence, Hurst Publishers, London 1997, also Oxford University Press, Delhi 1997 also paperback edition, WestView Co., USA, 2002

Nationalism and Communal Politics in India, 1885-1930, Manohar, Delhi, 1991, also paperback edition, 1994 (reprinted in 2000, 2005)

A Nationalist Conscience: M.A. Ansari, the Congress and the Raj, Manohar, Delhi, 1987

Mushtaq Ali [1914-2005] : Cricket

Mushtaq Ali was the first Indian to score a century on foreign soil.

17th December 1914 : born

1936: First test century by an Indian on foreign soil, against Engalish. runs 112.

1964: Retired from first-class cricket.

1964 : Awarded Padma-shri.

1967: published autobiography "Cricket Delightful."

2002: Wisden special award.

18th June 2005: Died in Indore.

Educated in Indore and Aligarh Muslim University.

Mushtaq Ali genius and imagination.

Records

Naushad Ali [1919-2006] : Music

Master of Bollywood film music magic

Lalit Mohan Joshi
The Guardian

The composer Naushad Ali, who has died aged 86, was a phenomenon of popular Indian cinema from the early 1940s into the early 1970s, who introduced a unique fusion of devotional, classical and north Indian folk music. Without Naushad's vision and thematically composed songs, it is difficult to imagine the impact of films like Mother India (1957), which features classical ragas and folk music.

A product of the composite culture of Lucknow, Naushad understood Hindu and Muslim culture and the languages, dialects and poetry associated with them. Against the wishes of his father he learned classical and folk music and, aged 18, moved to Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India's film capital, in 1937, to pursue a career in music in what is today known as Bollywood.

Without any contacts, by 1940 Naushad was music director on M Bhavnani's film Prem Nagar. But the "Naushad era" really began with Jamini Dewan's Rattan (1944), after which he became established as one of the highest-paid music directors. For the next 30 years he enjoyed unsurpassed celebrity.

Naushad's creative team chiefly comprised lyricist Shakeel Badayuni, singers Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar and film-makers AR Kardar and Mehboob. There were films like Mughal-e-Azam (1960), which showcases the best of Urdu lyrical poetry set to music and rendered, under Naushad's direction, with sensitivity, romance and overpowering emotion. In the 1970s Naushad's high water mark was Kamal Amrohi's Pakeezah (The Pure, 1972).

His magic lay in his appreciation of the nuances of Urdu and Hindustani lyrics and his genius in expressing and enhancing film lyrics. By drawing that inspiration from classical ragas and folk, introducing a range of Indian instruments into film music and grooming some of the most talented singers, Naushad gave his music wide appeal. He also had a keen eye for talent. It was he who, after coming across a girl of 13 singing on All India Radio, gave her a break in AR Kardar's Sharda (1942). The teenager was Suraiyya, who became one of the most glamorous singing stars of the 1950s.

Naushad could produce masterpieces be it a ghazal or romantic song, a bhajan or Hindu devotional number, a qawwali sung by Sufis at a Muslim shrine or a dance number for a nautch girl. His songs were truly Indian in essence.

Akbar Khan's Taj Mahal (2006) bombed in spite of Naushad's music and he seemed to have fallen silent for many years. This was not because his musical genius had dried up - rather because, after the 1980s, Bollywood directors looked upon cinema less as a creative art and more as a moneyspinning device. This left little space for aesthetic music, poetry and romance.

Naushad was one of the last of a group who had urbanity, polish and old world charm. In true Lucknawi style, he also had the gift of qissagoi (storytelling) characterised by effective use of words, poetry, body language and anecdotes. He also published Athwan Sur (The Eighth Note), a collection of his Urdu shairi or poetry.

He is survived by three sons and five daughters.

· Naushad Ali, composer, born December 25 1919; died May 5 2006

Rafi Ahmed Kidwai [1894-1954] : freedom fighter

Rafi Ahmed Kidwai was born in February 1894 to a middle-class Zamindari family in the village of Masauli in Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh. His family traced its lineage to the entourage of Mohammad Ghazni. In his childhood, he was tutored by his uncle Vilayat Ali. He enrolled in the M.A.O. College at Aligarh in 1916 and successfully graduated with a B.A degree in 1918. He thought of pursuing law studies but was immensely influenced by Mahatma Gandhi's call to join the Non-Cooperation Movement. Once again, his uncle Vilayat Ali served as his mentor to expose him to the two organizations leading the freedom struggle- the Congress and the Muslim League and their main leaders.

Around the time he was studying, a historic session of the Congress and the Muslim League was held at Lucknow, where the Congress-League pact was signed in December 1916. His uncle ensured he participated in such meetings.

It is not surprising then that by 1920, Kidwai had joined the Khilafat organization. He is said to have been the main force behind the Non-Cooperation Movement in Barabanki district. His then served as private secretary to Motilal Nehru. Subsequently, in 1926, he was elected to the Central Legislative Assembly. His political and social acumen and maturity were well-recognized and led to his appointment as Chief Whip of the Congress party in the Central Legislature.

The 1930's were years that saw Kidwai's growing involvement with farmers and agriculturists in his home state, U.P. He used his position, secretary of the U.P Congress Committee, to organize a no-rent campaign to protect the peasantry from the economic depression that had set in. He was jailed and sentenced in prison for leading this movement but in spite of this, the agrarian movement became a life-time commitment for him.

When Congress governments were established in various provinces under the provincial autonomy scheme introduced in 1937, Kidwai was appointed a minister in Pandit G. B. Pant's U.P. cabinet. He was given charge of the revenue and jail portfolios. He initiated major land reforms in U.P., such as the restructuring of the U.P. Tenancy Act and creating conditions for the abolition of the Zamindari system. He also introduced reforms in jails aiming at making prisoners better citizens.

In April 1946, he became the Home Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Kidwai rose from strength to strength within the party. A close confidante and supporter of Nehru, he was affectionately called "Rafi Sahib".

Post-independence, Kidwai moved base to New Delhi as Minister for Communications. During his tenure, he introduced novel schemes such as the night air mail service in 1948 and own your telephone which still goes by the OYT scheme under which a new telephone connection may be obtained.

After the first general elections in 1952, Nehru inducted Rafi in his cabinet and entrusted him with the food and agriculture portfolio. At this juncture, the country was facing an acute shortage of food and rationing was in vogue. Kidwai applied himself to the problem and converted the man-made scarcity conditions to man-released abundance of food supplies. His work was well-appreciated especially as he created a surplus position without depending on food aid and external controls. He envisaged a self-sufficient India, both insofar as food supply and telecommunications were concerned.

Rafi Ahmed Kidwai was a learned man, whose knowledge went beyond books. He was an excellent manager of men, and applied his bold and imaginative approach to resolve human issues. Secular in thought, simple and sincere in deed, he was a freedom fighter and socialist politician beyond par. When he died in October 1954, possibly of health run down by untiring hard work, he was recognized to have been a man who cared little for material possessions but much for strengthening his country.

A road in the city of Calcutta has been named Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road in his honor.

For more reading, refer a book on Rafi Ahmad Kidwai by Dr. Md.Hashim Kidwai under the series Builders of Modern India (language English and Urdu).

Link:

http://publicationsdivision.nic.in/Lang-Pub/Urdu/LU28.htm

Rafiq Zakaria [1926-2005] : Scholar, Writer

Rafiq Zakaria

A lawyer by training, Dr Zakaria had a brilliant academic career: He was awarded the chancellors gold medal for BA and later earned a doctorate with distinction from London University. In his 50 years in politics, he served one term as a cabinet minister in Maharashtra and later became a deputy leader of the ruling Congress party in the Indian parliament.

He also represented India in the United Nations three times – in 1965, 1990 and in 1996.

He remained a lifelong votary of education as a means of social transformation – the 50 educational institutions created by him across Maharshtra speak volumes of his concerns for the upliftment of his community.
[ http://ww1.mid-day.com/news/city/2005/july/113581.htm ]

Indian scholar Rafiq Zakaria dies
The eminent Indian Islamic scholar and writer Rafiq Zakaria has died at his residence in the western city of Mumbai, also known as Bombay.

The 79-year-old complained of acute back pain shortly before he died early on Saturday morning.

A scholar on Indian politics and religion, Dr Zakaria was a prolific writer on India, Islam and British imperialism.

He was also associated with India's ruling Congress party.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh described Dr Zakaria as a "true patriot, nationalist and great scholar" in a condolence message to his family, the Press Trust of India said.

A doctorate from the University of London, Dr Zakaria also represented India at the United Nations.

Communalism

His books include studies of former Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and the founder of Pakistan, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, and an intellectually provocative study on whether Mahatma Gandhi was responsible for the break-up of India.

Dr Zakaria's book 'Communal Rage In Secular India' explored the rising communalism in his country in the aftermath of the riots in western Gujarat state in 2000.

Last month, Dr Zakaria criticised India's main opposition leader LK Advani for describing Mr Jinnah as a "man who made history" during a visit to Pakistan.

"By calling Jinnah a man who created history, Advani tacitly endorsed the two-nation theory, the partition of India and the unprecedented violence that went with it," the feisty scholar told The Times of India newspaper in an interview.

He is survived by his wife, a daughter and three sons, including Fareed Zakaria, editor of Newsweek International magazine.
Story from BBC NEWS:
[ http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/south_asia/4666793.stm ]

Published: 2005/07/09 08:04:04 GMT

S K Gamiruddin Sarker [1915- ] : Freedom Fighter

S K Gamiruddin Sarker

Born 02 February 1915 at Bolla ,West Dinajpur, Bangladesh, s/o Late Baziruddin Sarkar. Belonged to Yugantar Party. Arrested in 1934. Sentenced to 6 years prison . Deported to Andamans. Took part in second hunger strike. Total jail period more than 8 years.

http://www.andamancellularjail.org/S4.htm

Saif-ud-Din Kitchlew [1888-1963]: freedom fighter

Charu Bahri
for, IndianMuslims.info

Saif-ud-Din Kitchlew was born in Amritsar in January 1888 to Azizuddin Kitchlew and Dan Bibi. His father, a Kashmiri Muslim was a well-to-do pashmina and saffron trader, himself son of a similar merchant named Ahmed Jo, who had migrated from Kashmir in the middle of the 19th century. His ancestry is further traced to a brahmin family of Baramulla where one of his ancestors named Prakash Ram Kitchlew is said to have accepted Islam.

Dr. Kitchlew schooled in India but pursued his graduation studies from Cambridge University, successfully acquiring a B.A. Subsequently, he studied law in London and even obtained a doctorate from the German University of Munster. Once his studies were complete though, he returned to India and started practicing law.

He took a keen interest in social and political activities. His earliest achievement in social leadership was his election as Municipal Commissioner of the city of Amritsar in 1919. His political involvement slowly grew in momentum alongside the Indian freedom struggle. The peoples’ reaction to the Rowlatt Acts inspired him to actively participate in the nationalist movement as a result of which he was arrested with Dr. Satyapal for leading protests against the legislation in Punjab. At this time, Mahatma Gandhi was also prevented from entering Punjab. The famed Jallianwala Bagh public meeting was called to protest the arrest of these leaders when General Reginald Dyer and his troops appeared on the scene, blocked the only entrance to the venue and fired pitilessly on the unarmed, peaceful civilian gathering. Hundre