Ziauddin Ahmad

Ziauddin Ahmed ضیاء الدین احمد
Born	Ziauddin Ahmed Zuberi (1878-02-13)February 13, 1878 Meerut, State of Uttar Pradesh, British Indian Empire
Died	December 23, 1947(1947-12-23) (aged 69) London, Great Britain
Residence	Aligarh, Aligarh district, Uttar Pradesh.
Citizenship	British India (1878–1947)
Nationality	Indian
Fields	Mathematics Parliamentarian Social reformer
Institutions	London Mathematical Society Royal Astronomical Society M.A.O. College Aligarh Muslim University Trinity College, Cambridge University of Paris University of Bologna
Alma mater	Allahabad University Calcutta University University of Göttingen
Doctoral advisor	Dr. James Reynold
Known for	As a politician,he was a member of British Indian Parliament,Muslim Renessence, Aligarh Movement his leading and central role in the Pakistan Movement and the Two-Nation Theory. As a mathematician, his research work on Differential geometry, Projective geometry, Logarithmic applications and sciences, and Algebraic geometry and analytic geometry.
Influenced	Sir Syed Ahmed Khan
Notable awards	Strachey Gold Medal (1895) Sir Isaac Newton Scholarship
Notes Note: He was the first general secretary of the Muslim League, and the close companion of Founder of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Moti Lal Nehru.

SirZiauddin Ahmad (Urdu: ضیاء الدین احمد‎, born Ziauddin Ahmed Zuberi (Urdu: ضیاء الدین احمد زبیری‎) on February 13, 1878 – died December 23, 1947) was an Indian mathematician, parliamentarian, logician, natural philosopher, politician, political theorist, educationist and scholar. He was also one of the longest serving Vice Chancellors and later on Rector of Aligarh Muslim University, India.

He was born on February 13, 1878, in Meerut, British India and received his high school education at Meerut. He obtained his Intermediate from Allahabad University in 1893 and then B.A with Mathematics at Aligarh in 1895 with distinction and won strachey Gold Medal.^{[citation needed]} He was appointed as Assistant Master in M.A.O. College. He pledged to Sir Syed that he would dedicate his life to MAO College and left the job of deputy collector at the time when the salary and prestige of the two post varied considerably.

His academic career won him the scholarship to join the Cambridge University, England in 1901 from where he took his mathematical Tripos topping the university and became a Wrangler. He obtained his Ph.D degree in 1905 from Gottengen University in Germany. For further education, Ziauddin joined Paris University and later Bologna University Italy and then on return to India, he joined the alma mater as a Professor of Mathematics.

It was his efforts that a Medical and Engineering college were founded and the Aligarh Muslim College was converted to Aligarh Muslim University where Ziauddin Ahmad worked as a Lecturer, professor, principal, Pro Vice Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor and Rector respectively. Ziauddin can be reckoned as next to Sir Syed Ahmad Khan in the spread of education among the Muslims who owe him a profound sense of gratitude.

Ziauddin played a dominant role in the renaissance of Muslim education in the Indian sub-continent after Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and faithfully carried on the torch of education right to the rank and file of the Muslims throughout the sub-continent. As a successor of Syed, he carried on the task of educating the people in the teeth of opposition when he proceeded to England to receive the coveted Sir Isaac Newton Scholarship. In 1917 Ziauddin was also appointed member of the Calcutta University Commission of which Sir Michael Saddler was the President.

Ziauddin rendered services to the Muslims of the sub-continent, worked for their progress and welfare and devoted all his life to the eradication of ignorance and illiteracy. He became member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) of UP in 1919 and 1922. The second Muslim Kamboh Conference held at Marehra (District Etha U.P) on 21 and 22 April 1935 in Marison Islamia School was presided over by Ziauddin.

He was one of the earliest members of the All-India Muslim League. Ziauddin became the Parliamentary Secretary of the Muslim League in the Central Assembly of India in 1938. Ziauddun remained member (M.P.) of Central Assembly of India from 1930 till 1947. In 1946, he was the chief whip of the Muslim League in the Central Assembly. He was awarded the title of Sir by the Government of India.

Earlier, he did M.A. (Mathematics) from Calcutta University and from Allahabad University in 1897 and 1899, respectively and then D.Sc. from Allahabad. He was the first Muslim who obtained D.Sc. (Mathematics). He joined Trinity College, Cambridge in 1901 for Honors Degree in Mathematics and graduated with excellence by securing the first position. He was also awarded Sir Isaac Newton Scholarship in 1904, a rare academic honour that was ever conferred on an Indian. He was made a member of the Mathematical Society of London and a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. He did his Ph.D. from Gottingen University, Germany. He also visited Paris University in France and Bologna University in Italy for advanced studies in the field of modern Geometry.

On his return in 1906, Ziauddin devoted himself to serve his alma mater for the rest of his life. In 1911, he was appointed Secretary of the A.M.U. Foundation Committee as well as Constitution Committee. He was the first Indian Principal of the M.A.O. College and became its first Pro-Vice-Chancellor. He was elected Vice-Chancellor in 1934 and remained so until 1946 with a couple of breaks for several reasons, and thus became the longest serving Vice-Chancellor in the history of Aligarh Muslim University. He was also appointed Rector of the University. He was a great parliamentarian. He was appointed a Member of State Assembly in 1919 as representative of Allahabad University. He was elected a Member of Central Assembly in 1930. His close association with Sir Syed Ahmed Khan made him the embodiment of dignity, excellence and virtue.

Early years

He was born in Meerut into a well-established literary family (Zuberi) and finished his High School there. In 1893, he did his Intermediate from Allahabad University, and then BA in Mathematics from Aligarh.

On 7 August 1895 Sir Ziauddin received the Strachey Gold Medal for securing Honours in Mathematics. He was appointed as Assistant Master in M.A.O. College.

Ziauddin was One of the earliest mathematicians who, along with Professor Chakravarti founded the first group of teachers and research workers whose main interests were in Astronomy, History of Mathematics and Theory of Functions. They carried out many innovations in teaching and research. For the first time in 1890, a society called M.A.O. College Mathematics Society was formed with Dr. Ziauddin Ahmad as its President and Mr. A.M. Kureishy as its Secretary.

The society has been continuing its activities and is now known as Aligarh Mathematical Society.The Department of Mathematics came into existence on the elevation of M.A.O. College to the status of a residential University in 1920. Thus the department of Mathematics is amongst the oldest departments of the University. Dr. Sir Ziauddin Ahmad became the first Professor and Head of the Department of Mathematics.

Ziauddin in Europe

After doing D.Sc. in mathematics from Allahabad, Sir Ziauudin moved Europe for further Excellence in the field of Mathematics. He was the first Muslim who obtained D.Sc. (Mathematics). Then, he joined Trinity College, Cambridge in 1901 for Honors Degree in Mathematics and graduated with excellence by securing the first position. His brilliant academic career won him mathematical Tripos topping the University and became a Wrangler. He was also awarded Sir Isaac Newton Scholarship in 1904, a rare academic honour that was ever conferred on an Indian. He was made a member of the Mathematical Society of London and a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. He did his Ph.D. from the University of Göttingen, Germany. He also visited Paris University in France and Bologna University in Italy for advanced studies in the field of modern Geometry. Sir Ziauddin Ahmad was a distinguished and an eminent mathematician, and have worked in the complex Logarithms applications. He did his pioneering work in modern geometry and published large sum of publications in differential geometry and algebraic geometry,.

Services to Aligarh Muslim University

Sir Ziauddin promised Sir Syed that he would not leave MAO college and met his promise by leaving Indian Civil Service.He drafted the Constitution of Aligarh Muslim University and perhaps there would be no University without him. He established most of the departments of AMU. In order to remove plight of poor he dreamed of opening a Medical College at Aligarh Muslim University which he carried quite ahead. He collected money for it, which later became Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College or JNMC. Later on University named Dental College after Sir Ziauddin.

He was the first Indian Principal of the M.A.O. College and became its first Pro-Vice-Chancellor. He was elected Vice-Chancellor in 1934 and remained so until 1946 and thus became the longest serving Vice-Chancellor in the history of Aligarh Muslim University. In 1946 he became Rector of the University and remained so till he died. Dr. Ziauddin Ahmad became an Honorary Professor in the Department, working simultaneously as Vice Chancellor of the University. Because of his love for the subject, he took his duties in the Department very seriously and even found time to take a number of lectures both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Thus he was the only teaching vice-chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University. Dr Sir Ziauddin was a Cambridge Wrangler.As he once entered a class, he was struck by a couplet the boys had written on the BlackBoard;

"Malika Boht hae Apni Riazi pe Aap Ko

Tool e Shab e Firaq zara naap dee jiyae"

(You have such command over your algebra, Do please measure us the Night of Separation)

Sir Ziauddin looked at the couplet,smiled and wrote

"INFINITY"…

Sir Ziauddin Ahmed spent money out of pocket to bring students to MAO College. One of the most important one was Hasrat Mohani from Kanpur who was planning to go to Lucknow. He had distinction in Math. Sir Ziauddin Ahmed noticed it and went there to prevail upon him and his family to send their bright young man to MAO College.

Maulvi Bashir Uddin who was Dr. Zia Uddin's uncle, spend all of his assets to establish Islamia College, Etawah which was a similar effort to establish another University as happened in the case of MAO college. He was a strong Congressite and wore Khadi and also published a highly respected paper al-Bashir. He was awarded Padam Shri, but he did not go to receive it, just as he did not go to receive the title of Khan Bahadur. Sir Ziauudin gave his full support and time to establish Islamia Inter College, Etawah, Uttar Pradesh.

He helped to establish a Muslim middle class in India. That in itself was a greater accomplishment after the Fall of Mughal Empire that had resulted in the financial and intellectual impoverishment of Muslims in India.

MAO College would not have received University status if inclusion of an Engineering College was not excluded. Higher research in physics was also introduced because of his support.

He wrote most of what was required to receive a charter. Student body at that time was less than 1500, but we did get AMU. Without his efforts, perhaps there would have been no Aligarh Muslim University.

With his efforts, in Lahore Islamia College was established. He laid down the foundation stone of that College. He also laid down the foundation stone of Islamia College Peshawar.

Sir Ziauddin revived the Scientific Society at MAO, which was more or less neglected by Syed Ahmad Khan after he moved to Aligarh. He published articles regularly in magazine and encouraged the faculty to do so. This did happened for few years and did not work. He was an educationist whose intention was to improve the quality of life for Muslims in India who were now way behind their fellow Hindus. He represented Allahabad University at the State Legislature,which was hardly a Muslim organization. He was clearly the most outstanding Muslim scholar of his time.

He is known as the savior of the University. Had he submitted and earned friendship of powerful political leaders there would have been no Muslim University in India and the National University would have been no different than Jamia.

Dr. Zia Uddin and his cousin Sir Muhammad Yamin Khan, and Nawab Ismail Khan lived in three of the four bungalow on four corners of the Windsor place, Lutyens' Delhi. Nawab Ismail Khan was highly regarded and respected person who was a lawyer and a political leader. They hail from the house in khair nagar Meerut, Uttar Pradesh Janat Nishan, where Sir Yamin Khan lived and it is family's ancestral home, established by Nawab Khair Andesh Khan, who was a General under Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and served as in the court of Mughal emperor Farrukhsiyar.

Sir Ziauddin asked the Aligarians in Europe to return to their Alma mater and serve it.

Politics

He was a great parliamentarian. He was appointed a Member of State Assembly in 1919 as representative of Allahabad University. He was elected a Member of Central Assembly in 1930. Ziauddin was the Secretary of the newly organized Muslim League in the Central Assembly of India in 1938.He moved Indian Foreign Relation Act in the Parliament. Sir Ziauddin did an outstanding job in Budget-making for the Indian Railways and later also worked with the Reserve Bank of India. When RBI was founded he was involved in successfully moving the largest amount of amendments for its more efficient functioning.Sir Ziauddin Ahmad was a trusted Lieutenant and Associate of the Muslim pioneers like Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, Nawab Viqar-ul-Mulk Kamboh, Nawab Mohsinul Mulk, Sir Sultan Muhammad Khan Aga Khan, Syedna Tahir Saifuddin.

When British rulers of the subcontinent hanged father of Pir Pagara Pir Sabghatullah Shah Rashidi on March 20, 1943, in the Central Jail, Hyderabad, Sindh, and abolished his Gaddi (Spiritual Office), Pir Pagara Syed Shah Mardan Shah-II was hardly 15 years old.During the same year Dr Sir Ziauddin Ahmad, who was at that time the vice-chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, took him and his brother to Aligarh. At Aligarh both the brothers stayed in `English House` which was a hostel established specially to house the sons of nawabs and rajas of the subcontinent. In 1946 again Dr SirZiauddin arranged for their education at England. Dr Qayyum Pasha, son-inlaw of Dr Sir Ziauddin Ahmad, went to England with Pir Pagara and his brother, through ship from Bombay, and stayed with them as their guardian.

After the partition in 1947 it was the campaign launched by Pir Ali Muhammad Rashidi, through Sindh Observer, that in fact was instrumental in restoration of the Gaddi of Pir Pagara in 1952.

Death

Dr Ziauddin ahmed died on December 23, 1947 in London, Great Britain while visiting the Imperial College London's Mathematics Department.When the High Commissioner of India Krishna Menon and High Commissioner of Pakistan visited him he made a wish in case of his death his body should be brought to Aligarh. In compliance of his wishes, his body was brought to Aligarh, India and buried by the side of his mentor Sir Syed Ahmed Khan at Jama Masjid within the campus of Aligarh Muslim University.

Family

Sir Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed son Zakauddin Ahmad lived in Aligarh in the same house. Zakauddin has three children Anjum Zia (female), Nigaht Zia (female), Ahmad Ziauddin (Ahmad Zia). Ahmad Ziauddin is survived by his wife Roohi Zuberi and Children Mohammad Ziauddin (Rahi), Shamhbaz Ziauddin, Sheeraz Ahmad and Sadaf Ahmad . Dr. Ejaz Fitma wife of Dr. Tajammul Hussain is daughter of Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed she have four children (two sons & two daughters namely Dr. Asim Hussain, Dr. Rubina Hussain, Dr. Arif Hussain & Sabina Hussain, owner of Dr. Ziauddin Hospital Karachi.

Honors and recognition

• Stratchey Gold Medal
• Tripos Wrangler in Mathematics
• Sir Isaac Newton Scholarship
• A four Hostel hall is named after Sir Ziauddin at Aligarh Muslim University, in December 1982.
• Dental College is named after him at Aligarh Muslim University, Sir Ziauddin Ahmad Dental College in 2003.
• Ziauddin Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan was established in his honour
• A major street in Karachi, Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed Road, was named in his honour.

External links

Biographical

• Sir Ziauddin Hall, from Aligarh Muslim University
• Dr. Ziauddin Ahmad, a great benefactor of Muslim community by Mubarak Shah Zuberi, from Kambojsociety