Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed
Encyclopedia
Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was the fifth President of India
from 1974 to 1977.
, Assam
, married in one of the families who were the relics of Emperor Aurangzeb's bid to conquer Assam
Ahmed was born on 13 May 1905, in Hauz Qazi area in Old Delhi
, India. His father was Col. Zalnur Ali who married the daughter of the Nawab of Loharu
in Delhi
He belonged to Gujjar
community.
He started his education in the Government High School from Gonda district
, Uttar Pradesh
, India. He matriculated from the Delhi Government High School and went to England for higher education in 1923 continuing studies at St Catharine's College, Cambridge
and was called to the Bar from the Inner Temple
of London.. He started legal practice in the Lahore High Court
in 1928.
and actively participated in the Indian freedom movement. In 1942 he was arrested in the Quit India movement
and sentenced to 3 1/2 years' imprisonment. He was a member of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee from 1936 and of AICC from 1947 to 74, and remained the Minister of Finance, Revenue and labour in the 1938 Gopinath Bordoloi
Ministry.
After Independence he was elected to the Rajya Sabha
(1952-1953) and thereafter became Advocate-General of the Government of Assam
. He was elected on Congress ticket to the Assam Legislative Assembly on two terms (1957-1962) and (1962-1967).
Subsequently, he was elected to the Lok Sabha
from the Barpeta
constituency, Assam in 1967 and again in 1971. In the Central Cabinet he was given important portfolios relating to Food and Agriculture, Cooperation, Education, Industrial Development and Company Laws.
Picked for the presidency by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
in 1974, and on 20 August 1974, he became the second Muslim
to be elected President. He used his constitutional authority as head of state
to allow her to rule by decree
once Emergency in India was proclaimed in 1975. He was the second Indian president to die in office, on 11 February 1977. Today his grave lies right across Parliament of India
, next to Sunhari Masjid, at Sansas chowk, in New Delhi.
in 1975, during his visit to Yugoslavia
.
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. He was a member of the Delhi Golf Club
and the Delhi Gymkhana Club from 1961.
President of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
from 1974 to 1977.
Early life and background
Fakhruddin's grandfather, Khaliluddin Ali Ahmed, of Kacharighat near GolaghatGolaghat
Golaghat , which was one of the largest subdivisions of Assam later, elevated to the position of a full-fledged district of Assam on 15 August 1987, is the headquarters of Golaghat district and is a sister town to Jorhat which is about 55 km away....
, Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
, married in one of the families who were the relics of Emperor Aurangzeb's bid to conquer Assam
Ahmed was born on 13 May 1905, in Hauz Qazi area in Old Delhi
Old Delhi
Old Delhi , walled city of Delhi, India, was founded as Shahjahanabad by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan in 1639. It remained the capital of the Mughals until the end of the Mughal dynasty....
, India. His father was Col. Zalnur Ali who married the daughter of the Nawab of Loharu
Loharu
Loharu is a city and a municipal committee in Bhiwani district in the Indian state of Haryana. It is the administrative headquarters of one of the 4 administrative sub-divisions of the district which comprises 119 villages....
in Delhi
He belonged to Gujjar
Gujjar
The Gurjar are an ethnic group in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Alternative spellings include Gurjara, Gujar, Gurjjara and Gūrjara. The spelling Gurjara or Gurjar is preferable to the rest....
community.
He started his education in the Government High School from Gonda district
Gonda District
Gonda is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh, India. Gonda is the district headquarters, and also the administrative centre for the Devipatan Division....
, Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
, India. He matriculated from the Delhi Government High School and went to England for higher education in 1923 continuing studies at St Catharine's College, Cambridge
St Catharine's College, Cambridge
St. Catharine’s College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1473, the college is often referred to informally by the nickname "Catz".-History:...
and was called to the Bar from the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
of London.. He started legal practice in the Lahore High Court
Lahore High Court
The Lahore High Court is based in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It was established as a high court on March 21, 1919. The Lahore High Court has jurisdiction over Punjab...
in 1928.
Political years
He met Jawaharlal Nehru in England in 1925. He joined the Indian National CongressIndian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
and actively participated in the Indian freedom movement. In 1942 he was arrested in the Quit India movement
Quit India Movement
The Quit India Movement , or the August Movement was a civil disobedience movement launched in India in August 1942 in response to Mohandas Gandhi's call for immediate independence. Gandhi hoped to bring the British government to the negotiating table...
and sentenced to 3 1/2 years' imprisonment. He was a member of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee from 1936 and of AICC from 1947 to 74, and remained the Minister of Finance, Revenue and labour in the 1938 Gopinath Bordoloi
Gopinath Bordoloi
Gopinath Bordoloi was the first Chief Minister of the Indian state of Assam, and also a leading Indian independence activist. He was a follower of the Gandhian principle of non violence as a political tool...
Ministry.
After Independence he was elected to the Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
(1952-1953) and thereafter became Advocate-General of the Government of Assam
Government of Assam
The Government of Assam is the provincial governing authority of the state of Assam in the Republic of India.It consists of the Governor as the head of the state, who is nominated by the Government of India. The head of government is the Chief Minister, who is the leader of the group that commands...
. He was elected on Congress ticket to the Assam Legislative Assembly on two terms (1957-1962) and (1962-1967).
Subsequently, he was elected to the Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
from the Barpeta
Barpeta (Lok Sabha constituency)
Barpeta Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in Assam state in north-eastern India.-Assembly segments:Barpeta Lok Sabha constituency is composed of the following assembly segments:-Members of Parliament:...
constituency, Assam in 1967 and again in 1971. In the Central Cabinet he was given important portfolios relating to Food and Agriculture, Cooperation, Education, Industrial Development and Company Laws.
Picked for the presidency by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
in 1974, and on 20 August 1974, he became the second Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
to be elected President. He used his constitutional authority as head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
to allow her to rule by decree
Rule by decree
Rule by decree is a style of governance allowing quick, unchallenged creation of law by a single person or group, and is used primarily by dictators and absolute monarchs, although philosophers such as Giorgio Agamben have argued that it has been generalized since World War I in all modern states,...
once Emergency in India was proclaimed in 1975. He was the second Indian president to die in office, on 11 February 1977. Today his grave lies right across Parliament of India
Parliament of India
The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body in India. Founded in 1919, the Parliament alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all political bodies in India. The Parliament of India comprises the President and the two Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha...
, next to Sunhari Masjid, at Sansas chowk, in New Delhi.
Honors
He was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Pristina, in KosovoSocialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo
Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo was one of the two socialist autonomous areas of the Socialist Republic of Serbia incorporated into the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1974 until 1990...
in 1975, during his visit to Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
.
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. He was a member of the Delhi Golf Club
Delhi Golf Club
The Delhi Golf Club is one of the oldest golf-courses in Asia and the oldest one in Delhi. It was founded in the 1920's as the Lodhi Club and is located at Dr. Zakir Hussain Road in Nizamuddin. It became a corporate entity in 24th February 1950.-History:...
and the Delhi Gymkhana Club from 1961.
Further reading
- Speeches of President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India, 1980.
- My eleven years with Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, by F. A. A. Rehmaney. S. Chand, 1979.