Ghulam Ahmad (forester)

For the founder of the Ahmadiyya movement in Islam, see Mirza Ghulam Ahmad.

Ghulam Ahmad
Born	23 May 1923 Poonch, Poonch district, State of Kashmir, British India present-day India
Died	September 20, 2003(2003-09-20) (aged 80) New Jersey, United States of America
Nationality	Pakistani
Citizenship	Pakistan
Known for	Environmental Sciences
Spouse	Jamila Begum
Scientific career
Fields	Civil and Military Engineering
Institutions	Pakistan Forest Service (PFS) Colorado Department of Military Affairs (DMA) Pakistan Chrome Mines Ltd (PCM) Military Engineering Service (MES) Air Force Engineering Corps

Shaikh Ghulam Ahmad (23 May 1923 – 20 September 2003) was a Pakistan Air Force engineer officer, fighter pilot and military engineer who formed Resources Company Limited, a holding company that promotes resource development in Pakistan. He was Managing Director and former chairman of Pakistan Chrome Mines Ltd., the largest and oldest chrome mining company in Pakistan.

He wrote Unique and Everliving, a biography of prophet Muhammad. The book was written over a period of five years. The book is published by Ferozeson's Ltd., a book publisher in Pakistan.

Life and education

He was born in the city of Poonch, in Poonch District of Kashmir, on 23 May 1923. He was educated in Poonch at a school where his father, Shaikh Ghulam Rasul, was the headmaster. He migrated to Pakistan, from Kashmir along with his family. Before partition of India, his father was Head Master of High School in Poonch, while his younger brother Ghulam Rabani graduated in law from Aligarh University. Shaikh Ghulam Rabani, migrated to Pakistan and was appointed as a district court Judge. Later Shaikh Ghulam Rabani joined the Pakistan Foreign Service and served as Pakistans' Ambassador to numerous countries in Asia and North Africa including, Tunisia, North Korea and Romania. He married to Jamila Begum at Rehara, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan on 11 May 1949. He had three sons and two daughters, he received a B.Sc (honours) degree in Physics and a Masters in Statistics from the University of Punjab in Lahore. He received a Postgraduate Diploma in Natural Resource Development ITC, Delft, Holland and completed postgraduate studies for a Ph. D in Civil Engineering at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado.

His grand father fought along with Tipu Sultan against the British East India Company. While his father Shaikh Ghulam Rasul was the head master of the Middle School in Poonch and Rawalakot. His father-in law fought against the Nazis in North Africa and Europe.

File:Ahmadfinal.JPG

Final resting place

Family

Mr. Ahmad had three sons and two daughters, His daughter Dr. Rehana Kausar MD was the first woman doctor from Rawalakot. His other daughter is also a Doctor while his three sons are engineers. His youngest son was a US Army officer and later a metallurgical and Petroleum Engineer. His grandson, a Captain was awarded the Purple Heart for his military service as a United States Army Officer in Iraq.

He had three brothers, Shaikh Ghulam Rabbani, was the Ambassador of Pakistan to North Korea, Tunisia and Romania. Shaikh Gilani Kamran, was a Professor of English Literature at Government College Lahore and an author who wrote over 35 books and his youngest brother Saeed Ahmad was a Pakistani Businessman.

Military career

Ghulam Ahmad Royal Indian Air Force

Ghulam Ahmad
Ft.Lt. Ghulam Ahmad flew Hawker Hurricanes during World War II as an Royal Indian Air Force fighter pilot.
Allegiance	British India Pakistan
Service/branch	Indian Air Force Pakistan Air Force
Years of service	1947-1948
Rank	Flight Lieutenant
Unit	No. 1 Squadron, Indian Air Force No. 9 Squadron Griffins, P. A. F.
Battles/wars	World War II Burma Campaign Indo-Pakistani War of 1947
Other work	Educationist, Military advisor, and an environmental scientist

He joined the Royal Indian Air Force as a Fighter Pilot in the No. 1 Squadron, Indian Air Force. He fought against the Japanese Imperial Army in Burma during World War II, flying in a Hawker Hurricane fighter plane.

Ground Subject Cup RIAF

Academic career

He was selected for the Forest Service after World War II and trained at the Forest Research Institute at Dehradun, India. After partition of India and Pakistan he joined the Pakistan Forest Service, becoming the Chief Conservator of Forests and Director of the Aerial Survey Project in Peshawar, Pakistan, where he surveyed the North-West Frontier Province for a Natural Resources Survey from 1965-1969. He introduced hybrid poplars in Pakistan, including Azad Kashmir, and especially Rawalakot, changing the living conditions of the rural population.

He supervised an aerial survey of the Indus River Basin for the development of natural resources. He emigrated to United States in August 1971 to complete a PhD in Civil Engineering at Colorado State University. After retiring from the Pakistani Forest Service, Ahmad joined the Colorado Department of Military Affairs, where he helped to draft the Emergency Response Plan for the State of Colorado. From 1983 until 1999 he was the Managing Director of Pakistan Chrome Mines Ltd.

Philanthropy

He gave scholarships for education to residents of Poonch District. He died on September 20, 2003, at the age of 80 in New Jersey.

He was buried at his favourite place on earth, his apple orchard in Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir. His family, especially his daughter Dr. Rehana Kausar, continues giving scholarships for academic excellence, in Mr. Ahmad's name, for students studying science in Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir.

See also

• List of Kashmiris