Mahmoodur Rahman

Mahmoodur Rehman (also Mahmood-ur-Rehman or Mehmood-ur-Rehman), a retired IAS officer who was the Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University from 1995 to 2000. He also served as the chairman of Bombay Mercantile Cooperative Bank. During his stint as the Vice Chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University, he was appreciated for timely start of academic sessions and reviving the campus mess system but also received criticism for pulling out a revolver at protesting students and was termed as "more a general than a scholar" by India Today.

LIFE SKETCH

ACADEMIC LIFE:

• Obtained LL.B. Degree from Allahabad University in 1962.
• Obtained Masters Degree in Persian from Allahabad University.
• Joined the U.P. Civil Services in 1965.
• Joined Indian Administrative Services in 1966.
• Diploma in Agriculture Extension from International Training Institute NSW, Australia in 1977.
• Invited by the Commonwealth Secretariat, London, to promote marketing of agricultural products.
• Conferred D.Litt (Honoris Causa)by Banaras Hindu University for outstanding administrative skills and invaluable contribution towards the cause of education. Copy of the citation

ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS HELD:

• Assistant Commissioner in Anantnag District of Kashmir in J & K, July 1967 to June 1968.
• Sub Divisional Magistrate – June 1968 to July 1969 in Scopore in Kashmir.
• Deputy Secretary to Government in the Planning Department in J & K from July 1969 to March 1970.
• Additional Deputy Commissioner, Jammu from March 1970 to April 1971.
• Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur from April 1971 to April 1973.
• Deputy Commissioner and Development Commissioner, Ladakh from April 1973 to October 1976. Introduced Karakul Sheep of Russian Origin in Ladakh.
• Commissioner and Secretary Agriculture:

o Established the Agriculture University of J & K and for this conducted study tour at Thailand, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand.o Established the Horticulture Processing and Marketing Corporation (HPMC) and worked achieving self-sufficiency in food grainsproduction in J & K.o Visited USA on the invitation of World Bank in March 1978 and negotiated a loan of 22 million dollars for horticulture development in J & K.o Visited Australia on a course in Agriculture Extension and Lectures in NSW and Perth in Australia.

• Held the first Panchyat Election in J & K in 1978.
• Secretary Industries, Government of Jammu & Kashmir and also headed group of Industrial Undertaking and made them profit earning.
• Secretary (Health), Government of Jammu & Kashmir and worked on the expansion of Family Welfare Programme.
• Secretary (Revenue), Government of Jammu & Kashmir.
• Commissioner, Planning and Development, Jammu & Kashmir and started a number of power development projects.
• Principal Secretary to Chief Minister with additional powers of Special Secretary to Cabinet

i. Chairman, J & K Cements Ltd., Jammu & Kashmirii. Chairman, Jammu & Kashmir Mineralsiii.Chairman, Himalayan Wool Chambers

In the capacity as Principal Secretary, also held charge of the Department of Trade, Agencies, Tourism, Parks & Garden and Hospitality and Protocol.

• Additional Chief Secretary, Industries, Commerce and Power Development.
• Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Government of Jammu & Kashmir from December 1989 to April 1995.

• Vice Chancellor, Aligarh Muslim University, May 1995 to July 2000.

• Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Parliamentary Affair from September 2000 to August 2002.
• Administrator, Punjab Wakf Board, from August 2002 to October 2003.
• Member, Central Wakf Council, August 2002 to October 2003.

Also Member of:

i. Central POTA Review Committee, since May 2003; ii. Member, Exec. Council of the University of Hyderabad; iii. Member, Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANU); iv. Member, Board of Governors, IIM Indore; v. Member, Padma Award Committee, Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi.

SOME MAJOR WORK AND ACHIEVEMENTS

1. Worked on rehabilitation of Tibetan Refugees in the difficult climatic conditions of Ladakh and travelled extensively into Ladakh, Himachal and Siachin Glacier.
2. Established new rehabilitation centres of Tibetan Refugees after holding discussions and obtaining approval of His Holiness The Dalai Lama.
3. In November 1991 worked on the release of Indian Oil Official, Shri K. Doraiswami and Miss Nahid Soz, D/o Prof. Saifuddin Soz, former Minister of Environment, Government of India.
4. Worked as the Chief Negotiator of the Government of J & K in the peaceful resolution of Hazratbal crisis in Kashmir in November 1993.
5. In Ladhakh a programme of systematic preservation and promotion of Buddhist culture and relics was initiated. This has been acknowledged by all noted scholars including Professor David Snellgrove in his book “Heritage of Ladakh”. Similarly, Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi of the National League of Democracy of Myanmar during her prolonged study of Ladhakh in 1975 appreciated the promotion of Ladakh as a tourist destination.
6. During the initial years of service in Udhampur, remained associated with the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at Udhampur District in Jammu Province and also for the first time made the proposal to construct an alternate exit route at the main shrine, providing relief to a large number of pilgrims. This exit route was made by cutting open the hill-side and this measure resulted in the increase of pilgrims from about ten lakhs to fifty lakhs in a year.
7. Organised Amarnath Yatra twice in 1967 and 1968 in which on account of proper management no casualties took place.
8. As Incharge of Home in Jammu & Kashmir continued to organise Amarnath Yatra in the most turbulent days from 1990 to 1995.
9. Worked as Chairman of the Board of Translation of the Urdu Biography of Dr. Zakir Hussain and Personally translated 200 pages.
10. As member of Central Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) delivered a number of orders as per the Act and proposed a number of amendments to the existing provisions.
11. As the present Chairman and Administrator of Bombay Mercantile Co-op. Bank Ltd. since 16th August 2002 contributed to the growth of the Bank and earned unprecedented profit of Rs.37 crores in 2003 and Rs.41 crores in 2004. The Bank is now making steady progress.
12. Chairman of the Search Committees for the Vice-Chancellors of

i. Dharwad Agriculture University, Dharwad in 1997.ii. Mangalore University, Mangalore in 1998.
iii. Gulbarga University, Gulbarga in 1999.iv. Kashmir University, Jammu and Kashmir in 2007v. Islamic University of Science & Technology, J & K in January 2009vi. Nalanda Open University Bihar, 28.4.2009

Mahmudur Rahman died in Lucknow on 8-9 July 2017.

AWARDS CONFERRED

1. Received Padma Shri 1991, besides bagging several awards and certificates of merit for rendering public service of an exceptionally high order in J & K, particularly after the outbreak of insurgency.
2. Received K.G. Gold Medal from Allahabad University in 1962 for establishing an unbeaten record of securing 89 per cent marks in the entire Faculty of Arts in Allahabad University.
3. Received Allahabad Jubilee Gold Medal at the Annual Convocation of the Allahabad University in 1962 for being the best student of the University.
4. Received Queen Victoria Silver Medal in the Convocation of Allahabad University in 1962 for showing extraordinary merit in all the post-graduate examinations.
5. Received a Gold Medal for outstanding work for the rehabilitation of Ex-Servicemen from the Rajya Sainik Board, J & K.
6. Conferred D.Litt. (Honoris Causa – BHU) in 1997.

Dr Mahmoodur Rahman , a retired IAS officer of 1966 batch and former Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) who worked on various posts in his long career suffered brain due to fall in Lucknow, family source said.( reference- dainikjagran.com)

Dr Mahmoodur Rahman was in Lucknow to attend the wedding ceremony of a close relative on Thursday when he suffered heart attack. He was immediately rushed to a local hospital and admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

“His condition is very very critical”, family sources said while talking to ummid.com on phone.

Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University from 1995 to 2000, Dr Mahmoodur Rahman also served as the Chairman of Bombay Mercantile Cooperative Bank.

During his stint as the Vice Chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University, he was appreciated for timely start of academic sessions and reviving the campus mess system but also received criticism for pulling out a revolver at protesting students and was termed as "more a general than a scholar" by the media.

But, he was so popular that teachers and students alike demanded second term for him when his tenure ended in 2000.

"The list of good work done during his present term is long and impressive, but there are many unfinished tasks for which a second term is needed", the teachers said in their memorandum submitted while demanding second term for Dr Rahman..

The Bombay Mercantile Cooperative Bank was facing tough time when Dr Mahmoodur Rahman became its Chairman. Dr Rahman brought the ailing bank back on the track during his tenure as chairman.

Born in a progressive and educated Muslim family in Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh, his mother was an Oriental scholar and maternal uncle the Chief Secretary of Bihar, Rahman completed his education from the Allahabad University.

A Masters in Law Rahman appeared for the Uttar Pradesh Civil Services and got selected in 1966. However a calling for doing things on a National scale made Rahman give his Union Civil Services exams as well.

Various Adminitrative positions he held included Assistant Commissioner in Anantnag District of Kashmir in J & K, July 1967 to June 1968, Sub Divisional Magistrate – June 1968 to July 1969 in Scopore in Kashmir, Deputy Secretary to Government in the Planning Department in J & K from July 1969 to March 1970, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Jammu from March 1970 to April 1971, Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur from April 1971 to April 1973, Deputy Commissioner and Development Commissioner, Ladakh from April 1973 to October 1976. Introduced Karakul Sheep of Russian Origin in Ladakh.

But it was Dr Mahmoodur Rahman Committee he headed in Maharashtra that kept him in the media glare in recent time. The Committee was formed by the Congress government in Maharashtra in line with Sachar Committee to analyse the social, educational and economical statud of Muslims in the state.

The committee submitted its report to then Chief Minister of Maharashtra Vilasrao Deshmukh on October 21, 2013.