Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed

2021-06-27T03:45:38Z

2409:4065:D9A:BCB3:C9DD:D2A7:7D37:5E0B: /* Early life and background */

{{short description|Fifth President of India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed
| image = Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed 1977 stamp of India.jpg
| caption = President Ahmed on Stamp of 1977.
| office = 5th [[President of India]]
| primeminister = [[Indira Gandhi]]
| vicepresident = [[B. D. Jatti]] [[Gopal Swarup Pathak]]
| term_start = 24 August 1974
| term_end = 11 February 1977
| predecessor = [[V. V. Giri]]
| successor = [[B. D. Jatti]] (Acting)
| birth_date = {{birth date|1905|05|13|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Delhi]], [[ India]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1977|02|11|1905|05|13|df=y}}
| death_place = [[New Delhi]], India
| party = [[Indian National Congress]]
| alma_mater = [[University of Cambridge]] [[Inner Temple]]
| profession = [[Lawyer]]
| spouse = [[Begum Abida Ahmed]]
| children = 3
| office2 = [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha]]
| successor2 = [[Ismail Hossain Khan]]
| constituency2 = [[Barpeta (Lok Sabha constituency)|Barpeta]]
| term2 = 1967-1977
| predecessor2 = [[Renuka Devi Barkataki]]
| office3 = [[Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha]]
}}

{{merge from|Death and state funeral of Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed|discuss=Talk:Death and state funeral of Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed#Proposed Merger|date=June 2021}}

'''Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed''' (13 May 1905 – 11 February 1977) was an Indian lawyer and politician who served as the fifth [[President of India]] from 1974 to 1977. He was also the second President of India to die in office.<ref>[http://presidentofindia.nic.in/formerpresidents.html Former Presidents] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210120916/http://presidentofindia.nic.in/formerpresidents.html |date=10 December 2008}} [[President of India]] website.</ref><ref name=rrtc>[http://www.rrtd.nic.in/fakhruddinaliahmed.htm Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed (1905–1977): Biography] RRTC, [[Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India)|Ministry of Information and Broadcasting]]. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170729054858/http://www.rrtd.nic.in/fakhruddinaliahmed.htm|date=29 July 2017}}</ref>

==Early life and background==
Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was born on 13 May 1905 at the Hauz Qazi area of [[Old Delhi]], India.<ref name=rrtc/> His father, Col. Zalnur Ali Ahmed, was an [[Islam in Assam|Assamese Muslim]] and the first immigrant Assamese person from [[East India]] to have an [[Doctor of Medicine|M.D. (Doctor of Medicine)]] degree.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://listserv.aoir.org/pipermail/assam-assamnet.org/2007-July/013619.html|title=[Assam] Lt Col Sivram Bora|date=7 July 2007|access-date=8 June 2019}}</ref> His mother, Sahibzadi Ruqaiyya Sultan, was a daughter of the [[Nawab]] of [[Loharu]].<ref name=indohistory>{{cite web|url=http://www.indohistory.com/fakhruddin_ali_ahmed.html|title=History of India|access-date=17 May 2016}}</ref> Ahmed's grandfather, Khaliluddin Ali Ahmed, was from Kacharighat near [[Golaghat]], [[Assam]], and hailed from a well-known [[Bengalis|Bengali]] [[Islam in Assam|Assamese Muslim]] family. He married a Muslim girl named Begam Abida Ahmed of Sheikhupur, Badaun, Uttar Pradesh.<ref>{{cite news|title=India's First Lady Moves Into the Official Spotlight|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=25 October 1974}}</ref>

Ahmed attended [[St. Stephen's College, Delhi]], and [[St Catharine's College, Cambridge]]. He was called to the Bar from the [[Inner Temple]] of [[London]] and began legal practice in the [[Lahore High Court]] in 1928.<ref name=rrtc/><ref name=indohistory/>

==Political years==
He met [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] in [[England]] in 1925. He joined the [[Indian National Congress]] and actively participated in the [[Indian Freedom Movement]]. In 1942 he was arrested during the [[Quit India Movement]] and sentenced to {{frac|3|1|2}} years imprisonment.<ref name=rrtc/> He was a member of the [[Assam Pradesh Congress Committee]] from 1936 and of AICC from 1947 to 1974, and remained the Minister of Finance, Revenue and labour in 1948 [[Gopinath Bordoloi]] Ministry.<ref name=book>{{cite book|author=Nikhat Ekbal|title=Great Muslims of undivided India|publisher=Kalpaz|year=2009|pages=99–101|isbn=8178357569}}</ref>

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 the Congress ticket to the [[Assam Legislative Assembly]] for two terms (1957–1962) and (1962–1967) representing the [[Jania (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Jania]] constituency.<ref name=book/>

Subsequently, he was elected to the [[Lok Sabha]], representing the [[Barpeta (Lok Sabha constituency)|Barpeta]] constituency, Assam in 1967 and again in 1971. In the Central Cabinet he was given important portfolios relating to Food and Agriculture, Co-operation, Education, Industrial Development and Company Laws.<ref name=book/>

==Presidency==
Ahmed was chosen for the presidency by Prime Minister [[Indira Gandhi]] in 1974, and on 20 August 1974, he became the second [[Muslim]] to be elected President of India. He is known to have issued the proclamation of emergency by signing the papers at midnight after a meeting with [[Indira Gandhi]] the same day.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/who-is-fakhruddin-ali-ahmed-nephew-nrc-assam-mamata-5286969/|title=Who is Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed?|work=[[The Indian Express]]|date=1 August 2018|access-date=8 June 2019}}</ref> He used his constitutional authority as [[head of state]] to allow him to [[rule by decree]] once the [[Emergency in India]] was proclaimed in 1975.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pastpresidentsofindia.indiapress.org/ahmed.html|title=Shri Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed|publisher=Past Presidents of India|access-date=8 June 2019}}</ref>

He is well known among Indian diplomats for his visit to [[Sudan]] in 1975.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[Ministry of External Affairs (India)|Ministry of External Affairs]]|url=https://www.mea.gov.in/Portal/ForeignRelation/India-South_Sudan_Eng_Relations.pdf|title=India-South Sudan Relations|access-date=8 June 2019}}</ref>

== Death and legacy ==
He was the second Indian president to die in office, on 11 February 1977. His death occurred after he collapsed in his office while preparing to attend his daily [[Namaz]] prayer. The cause of his death was a [[heart attack]]. Today, his grave lies right across the [[Parliament of India]] next to the ''Sunhari Masjid'', at Sansad Chowk, in [[New Delhi]].<ref>{{cite magazine|title=President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed passes away|work=[[India Today]]|date=28 February 1977}}</ref>

=== In popular culture ===
''Salute To The President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed'' is a 1977 [[Short film|short]] [[documentary film]] directed by J.S. Bandekar and produced by the [[Films Division of India]], it covers the life and works of the president.<ref>{{Cite web|title=SALUTE TO THE PRESIDENT FAKHRUDDIN ALI AHMED {{!}} Films Division|url=https://filmsdivision.org/shop/salute-to-the-president-fakhruddin-ali-ahmed|access-date=2021-06-11|website=filmsdivision.org}}</ref>

==Honours==
He was awarded an honorary doctorate by the [[University of Pristina (1969–1999)|University of Pristina]], in [[Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo|Kosovo]], in 1975, during his visit to [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Rajendra Kumar|title=President and Prime Minister of India|page=1963}}</ref>

He was elected President of the [[Assam Football Association]] and the [[Assam Cricket Association]] for several terms; and was also the Vice-President of the Assam Sports Council.<ref>{{citation|title=Dr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed - President of India|publisher=Glorious India}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/1702.htm|title=Fifth Lok Sabha|access-date=8 June 2019}}</ref>

A medical college, [[Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College]] has been named after him at Barpeta Assam.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/list-of-achievements-of-the-raisina-hill-occupants/fakhruddin-ali-ahmed-1974-1977/slideshow/59698912.cms|title=Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed (1974 - 1977)|work=[[The Economic Times]]|date=21 July 2017|access-date=8 June 2019}}</ref>

[[File:Grave of former Indian President Fakhrudhin ali ahmad.jpg|thumb|Grave of former Indian President Fakhrudhin Ali Ahmad]]

==See also==
*[[Death and state funeral of Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* ''Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed'', by M. A. Naidu, 1975
* ''Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed'', by Attar Chand. Pub. Homeland, 1975.
* {{cite book|title=Presidents of India, 1950–2003|author=Janak Raj Jai|chapter=Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed|publisher=Daya Books|year=2003|isbn=81-87498-65-X|page=101|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r2C2InxI0xAC&pg=PA101}}
* ''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.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* [http://www.vedanti.com/Legends/fakhruddin_ali_ahmed.htm Legends of Assam]

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{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=[[V. V. Giri|Varahagiri Venkata Giri]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[President of India]]|years=1974–1977}}
{{s-aft|after={{nowrap|[[B. D. Jatti|Basappa Danappa Jatti]]}} Acting}}
{{s-end}}

{{Presidents of India}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ahmed, Fakhruddin Ali}}
[[Category:Presidents of India]]
[[Category:1905 births]]
[[Category:1977 deaths]]
[[Category:Alumni of St Catharine's College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:St. Stephen's College, Delhi alumni]]
[[Category:Indian Muslims]]
[[Category:People from Barpeta district]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Cambridge]]
[[Category:Rajya Sabha members from Assam]]
[[Category:Indian independence activists from Assam]]
[[Category:Prisoners and detainees of British India]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Assam]]
[[Category:Assam MLAs 1957–1962]]
[[Category:Assam MLAs 1962–1967]]
[[Category:4th Lok Sabha members]]
[[Category:5th Lok Sabha members]]
[[Category:Members of the Cabinet of India]]
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from Assam]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian lawyers]]
[[Category:Education Ministers of India]]
[[Category:Ministers of Power of India]]
[[Category:Commerce and Industry Ministers of India]]
[[Category:Burials in India]]
[[Category:Members of the Inner Temple]]
[[Category:State funerals in India]]

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Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed