Syed Ali Zaheer
Encyclopedia
Syed Ali Zaheer was an Indian politician and a member of the First Indian Cabinet, under Jawahar Lal Nehru. He was one of the four sons of Sir Syed Wazir Hasan
, former Chief Justice of the Oudh Chief Court. He was married to Begum Aliya who was the Chairperson of the Central Social Welfare Board.
). He lived a varied life and was very much on the public stage. He was an elected Municipal Commissioner and thereafter a member of the Uttar Pradesh
legislature. In 1946, when the First Indian Cabinet was constituted, he was appointed as the Law Minister in Jawahar Lal Nehru's cabinet. Later on Mr. Ali Zaheer became India's ambassador to Iran
. On return from Iran he resumed his legal practice for a short while and again became the Law Minister of Uttar Pradesh for two terms.
Later he became Chairman of Uttar Pradesh Pay Commission. Lucknow
's traditional strife between Shias and Sunni was exacerbated by the political rivalry between Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman
, a Sunni Muslim League leader, and Syed Ali Zaheer, Shia Leader of Congress. Both fought elections for the Lucknow
Municipal Board. Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman later migrated to Pakistan where he became Governor of East Pakistan
, now Bangladesh
.
Ali Zaheer's younger brother Sajjad Zaheer
, was a Communist leader and a man of letters, whose daughter Nadira Babbar
was married to Actor MP Raj Babbar
. Nadira Babbar herself is well known in theatrical circles in Mumbai. Ali Zaheer's mother, Lady Wazir Hasan, and his wife, Begum Aliya Zaheer, were prominent supporters of the progressive movement for Muslim women.
Though he was a lifetime Congressman, Ali Zaheer briefly left Congress and joined Babu Jagjivan Ram's Congress for Democracy CFD during the general elections of 1977. Mr. Ali Zaheer remained the President of the Shia Degree College Management Committee and was succeeded by his son Kazim Zaheer. Dr. Sakina Hasan, a member of the Committee on the Status of Women, was the eldest child of Syed Ali Zaheer. She married Dr Ammar Hasan, Professor of Orthopaedics at AMU. Syed Ali Zaheer was buried in Daliganj Karbala, in close vicinity to the Shia College.
Sir Syed Wazir Hasan
Syed Wazir Hasan was Indian jurist and Secretary and later President of the All-India Muslim League. A practitioner in the Judicial Commissioner's Court, he was the first Indian Chief Justice of the Awadh Chief Court ....
, former Chief Justice of the Oudh Chief Court. He was married to Begum Aliya who was the Chairperson of the Central Social Welfare Board.
Biography
Mr. Ali Zaheer was a barrister who had a very large practice in the Chief Court of Oudh (AwadhAwadh
Awadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
). He lived a varied life and was very much on the public stage. He was an elected Municipal Commissioner and thereafter a member of the 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...
legislature. In 1946, when the First Indian Cabinet was constituted, he was appointed as the Law Minister in Jawahar Lal Nehru's cabinet. Later on Mr. Ali Zaheer became India's ambassador to Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. On return from Iran he resumed his legal practice for a short while and again became the Law Minister of Uttar Pradesh for two terms.
Later he became Chairman of Uttar Pradesh Pay Commission. Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
's traditional strife between Shias and Sunni was exacerbated by the political rivalry between Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman
Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman
Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman was a Pakistani politician and an important Muslim figure during British India, as an eminent National level leader of the All India Muslim League hailed from the United Provinces . The most strong supporter of the Pakistan movement and Muhammad Ali Jinnah...
, a Sunni Muslim League leader, and Syed Ali Zaheer, Shia Leader of Congress. Both fought elections for the Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
Municipal Board. Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman later migrated to Pakistan where he became Governor of East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
, now Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
.
Ali Zaheer's younger brother Sajjad Zaheer
Sajjad Zaheer
Syed Sajjad Zaheer was a renowned Urdu writer, Marxist thinker and revolutionary.- Life :...
, was a Communist leader and a man of letters, whose daughter Nadira Babbar
Nadira Babbar
Nadira Babbar is an Indian theatre actress, director and an actress in Hindi cinema, who is the recipient of Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2001. A leading name in Indian theatre, Nadira founded a Mumbai-based theatre group called Ekjute, a known name in Hindi theatre in 1981...
was married to Actor MP Raj Babbar
Raj Babbar
Raj Babbar is a Hindi & Punjabi film actor since 1977 and the current Member of Parliament from Firozabad which he won by defeating Dimple Yadav, wife of Akhilesh Yadav & daughter-in-law of Mulayam Singh Yadav. This is his fourth term as MP, in previous terms he was the part of Samajwadi...
. Nadira Babbar herself is well known in theatrical circles in Mumbai. Ali Zaheer's mother, Lady Wazir Hasan, and his wife, Begum Aliya Zaheer, were prominent supporters of the progressive movement for Muslim women.
Though he was a lifetime Congressman, Ali Zaheer briefly left Congress and joined Babu Jagjivan Ram's Congress for Democracy CFD during the general elections of 1977. Mr. Ali Zaheer remained the President of the Shia Degree College Management Committee and was succeeded by his son Kazim Zaheer. Dr. Sakina Hasan, a member of the Committee on the Status of Women, was the eldest child of Syed Ali Zaheer. She married Dr Ammar Hasan, Professor of Orthopaedics at AMU. Syed Ali Zaheer was buried in Daliganj Karbala, in close vicinity to the Shia College.