Syed Sujeel Ahmed | India Tomorrow
BENGALURU—Well-known education activist, Dr. Mumtaz Ahmed Khan, who inspired Muslims all over the country to establish educational institutions post-Independence, expired here on Thursday at the age of 86. He is survived by his wife, one son and two daughters.
Dr. Khan was ailing for the past few months and had been in and out of the hospital. He was last admitted to City’s HBS hospital for his treatment and passed away at his residence in Bengaluru.
Holding a master’s degree in surgery from Stanley Medical College, Chennai, Dr. Khan founded the Al-Ameen Educational Society in 1966 when he was just 31 years old, with his friends including Dr. Jamal Ahmed Ameenabadi, the then state chief of Jamaat-e-Islami, Mysore region.
He turned his passion for imparting education into a movement by inspiring people to establish educational institutions, mainly in Karnataka’s rural areas, from primary and high schools to pre-university (PU) and degree colleges in arts, science, commerce streams. He and his group also established professional colleges in Bengaluru in paramedic, nursing, education, management, and law. The Al-Ameen Educational Society manages more than three dozen educational institutions, mostly in South India.
The biggest contribution of Dr. Khan was that when Muslims, after Independence, could not imagine to establish educational institutions, he inspired people to set up educational institutions from Kashmir to Kanykumari.
The prestigious Al-Ameen Medical College in Bijapur, about 500 km from Bangalore, set up in 1986, provides graduate and post-graduate degrees in medicines and dentistry. The funds for the college had come from Islamic Development Bank (IDB), Jeddah. It is among the few medical colleges established by Muslim minorities after independence in India. The college was, however, taken over by another trust chaired by Mr. Ziaulla Shariff of India Builders. Now Mr. Ziaulla Shariff is the president of the medical college.
The medium of instruction in most of his schools has been Urdu. Apart from providing affordable education to lakhs of students, especially from the minority community, his institutions have provided permanent employment to thousands as most institutions are government-aided.
For his immense work in the education field, Dr. Khan is fondly remembered as Baba-e-Taleem and Sir Syed of South.
Dr. Khan was also a former treasurer of the Aligarh Muslim University. He had also established several hospitals at town places in Karnataka which later wilted away.
He was a founder trustee of the Daily Salar, the largest circulated Bengaluru-based Urdu daily of Karnataka.
Dr. Khan was born into an educated family on 6 September 1935 in Tamil Nadu’s Trichy. His father was a lawyer, and his mother a BA graduate from Aligarh Muslim University. Dr. Khan moved to Bengaluru in 1965 from Tamil Nadu.
Dr. Khan did his MBBS from Madras University in 1963 and went on to do his MS, Master of Surgery, after marriage from Stanley Medical College, Chennai.
He is a recipient of several awards, including the Karnataka Rajyothsava award in 1990, Junior Jaycees Award, Kempegowda Award, and Public Relation Society of India Award.
Condolences
Former Union Minister Dr. K Rahman Khan, in his condolence message, said that he was deeply saddened by the passing away of a tall intellectual and education activist. He said it was not just a loss for Karnataka but India too. Remembering Dr.Khan’s services to society, he said without Dr. Khan’s dedication and sacrifices, a network of institutions like Al-Ameen would not have been possible. He further added that Dr. Khan has left an ocean of education for the society to benefit from and prayed to Allah to grant him a place in Jannat-ul-Firdous.
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind’s national vice-president Engineer Mohammad Salim, expressing condolences over his death, said that contribution of Dr. Khan in the field of education in post-Independent India helped in uplifting the conditions of Muslims all over India. He inspired people throughout India to set up new educational institutions and contribute to progress of the country. He said that he will be greatly missed by those working in the field of education.
In his condolence message, AMU Vice Chancellor, Prof Tariq Mansoor, said, “We are deeply saddened by the news of demise of Dr Mumtaz Ahmed Khan. He was a great humanitarian, educationist and social reformer. He contributed a lot for the educational upliftment of the society.”
Remembering his association with AMU, Prof Mansoor, said, “Both his parents had graduated from AMU. He has served as Pro Chancellor and Treasurer of the University. Inspired by Sir Syed’s vision, he established several educational institutions in Southern India. His contribution benefitted a whole generation of students and teachers. It is a huge loss and my thoughts are with his family in this difficult time”.
All India Muslim Majlis Mushawarat (AIMMM) chief Navaid Hamid, in his condolence mssage, said, “A man who showed the path to educationally empower the Muslim community and founded Al Amin Educational Movement, Dr. Mumtaz Ahmed Khan, left for heavenly abode to meet the Most Gracious and the Most Merciful last night. May Allah accept his services.”
Real Estate tycoon of Bengaluru, CMD of Prestige Group, Irfan Razack, in his condolence message, said Dr. Khan had made the Al-Ameen movement his aim of life. His unflinching commitment to uplift the educational standards of Indian Muslims is unmatchable in the state. He prayed to Allah to award him the highest place in heaven.
May ALLAH give him highest place in Jannat. He dedicated his entire life to impart the education