Afzal-ul Amin
Mohammed Afzal-ul Amin (ମହମ୍ମଦ୍ ଅଫଜଲୁଲ୍ ଅମିନ୍) popularly known as M.A Amin was an Indian statesman, politician and social worker hailing from the Indian state of Odisha. He served as the general secretary of Utkal Pradesh Congress Committee during Biren Mitra's chief ministership[1]. Afzal-ul was the Vice Chairman of Cuttack Municipality and also the President of Odisha Mohammadan Association. He played a major role in preserving Urdu language in Cuttack. He is credited for organising various nationalist meetings and mobilizing the common masses in Cuttack during the Quit India movement of 1942. [2]
Mohammed Afzal-ul Amin | |
---|---|
Amin shaking hands with Lord Mountbatten | |
Chairman, Odisha Board of Wakfs | |
In office June 1973 – November 1977 | |
Vice Chairman, Cuttack Municipal Corporation | |
In office 25 February 1955 – 27 November 1960 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Manzil e Amin, Cuttack, Bihar and Orissa Province, British India | 16 July 1915
Died | May 28, 1983 67), Cuttack, Odisha | (aged
Resting place | Qadam e Rasool |
Citizenship | |
Nationality | Indian |
Spouse(s) | Syeda Roshanara Akhtar |
Children | Tabassum Sultana, Farhat Amin |
Parents | Sayeed Mohammed (father), Begum Badar un nissa Akhtar (mother) |
Relatives | Hussain Rabi Gandhi (elder son-in-law),
Saleem Farook (younger son-in-law), Ibrahim Suhrawardy (father-in-law) |
Alma mater | Ravenshaw Collegiate School |
Occupation | Politician, Social Activist |
Life and career
Mohammed Afzal-ul Amin alias M.A Amin was born into the Diwan family to the notable educationist of Cuttack, Sayeed Mohammed and his wife Badr un nissa Begum. From his mother's side he's the great grandson of Ubaidullah Al Ubaidi Suhrawardy. After finishing his schooling from Ravenshaw Collegiate School, Afzal-ul entered the field of politics where he emerged as a prominent Muslim leader in the town. Like his father, he too mobilized the Odia muslims to join the Indian freedom struggle. During the 1942 Quit India movement, Amin worked in close association with Malati Choudhury and Ramadevi Choudhury, he organised various nationalist meetings at his place in Cuttack to gather support for the movement after Surajmal Shah and Bibhunendra Mishra were arrested in August 1942.[3][4]
Afzal-ul served as the chairman of Odisha board of Wakfs (State Muslim endowment board). He was also one of the most prominent Muslim councilors in the Cuttack municipality back in time. He was elected as the councilor continuously for 28 long years i.e. from 1952 to 1980, winning all the elections continuously. He had also been elected as the Vice Chairman of Cuttack Municipality. [5] He was a member of the Indian National Congress (Organisation). In 1961 he was appointed as the general secretary of Utkal Pradesh Congress Committee by Biren Mitra. In 1971 he ran for the Cuttack State legislative assembly elections as an MLA candidate from the Indian National Congress (O) party. [6][7] He was later appointed as the President of Odisha Mohammadan Association. [8]
Afzal-ul played a major role in preserving Urdu language in Cuttack. As the chairman of Cuttack Municipality's sub-committee on education he established 5 Urdu lower primary and 5 upper primary schools in Cuttack some of which include, Maulana Azad U.P school in Qadam Rasool.
Marriage and family
Afzal-ul Amin got married to his second cousin, Syeda Roshanara Akhtar, the younger daughter of Ibrahim Suhrawardy, a notable author and linguist from Balasore of the Qadiriyyah house.
Afzal-ul has two daughters, Tabassum Amin Sultana who got married to the notable politician and writer Hussain Rabi Gandhi and Farhat Amin Sultana who is a journalist and a social activist, she married the tribal rights activist Saleem Farook.
References
- "Gandhi's ideals". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
- Pati, Biswamoy (1992-03-01). "The climax of popular protest: The Quit India Movement in Orissa". The Indian Economic & Social History Review. 29 (1): 1–35. doi:10.1177/001946469202900101. ISSN 0019-4646.
- Gayer, Laurent (2012). Muslims in Indian Cities: Trajectories of Marginalisation. Hurst. ISBN 978-1-84904-176-8.
- "Cuttack City Assembly Constituency Election Result - Legislative Assembly Constituency". resultuniversity.com. Retrieved 2020-05-22.
- "The Quit India Movement in Odisha – History of Odisha". Retrieved 2020-05-23.
- Gayer, Laurent (2012). Muslims in Indian Cities: Trajectories of Marginalisation. Hurst. ISBN 978-1-84904-176-8.
- "Cuttack City Assembly Constituency Election Result - Legislative Assembly Constituency". resultuniversity.com. Retrieved 2020-05-22.
- Sethy, Rabindra Kumar (2003). Political Crisis and President's Rule in an Indian State. APH Publishing. ISBN 978-81-7648-463-3.