Sir Dr. Ziauddin Ahmad: A source of inspiration

Sir Dr. Ziauddin Ahmad was an eminent educationist, scholar and visionary of the sub-continent and it is under his name that the Ziauddin University was formed. He is remembered even today because after the death of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Sir Dr. Ziauddin Ahmad played an important role in the renewal of education for the Muslims.

At the age of 17, Sir Dr. Ziauddin Ahmad joined Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College, Aligarh, and completed his BA in mathematics with a distinction. He was the first Muslim to obtain a DSc (Mathematics) from the Allahabad University. After completing the DSc, he decided to go abroad for further studies. Dr. Ahmad took admission to the Trinity College at the Cambridge University for an honors degree in mathematics in 1903 and became the first from the subcontinent to earn the Sir Isaac Newton scholarship. He had a thirst for education that took him to the Gottingen University, Germany, where he completed his PhD in mathematics in 1906.

Sir Dr. Ziauddin Ahmad provided his services as the very first pro-vice chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University; in 1935 he was selected as vice chancellor, a position he held till 1946. After that, he was designated as rector of the university and carried out his work till his death in 1947. Sir Dr. Ziauddin Ahmad is also known for raising the educational standards of the country by helping motivate people and aiding in collecting funds for a university. During the Khilafat Movement and the Non-Cooperation Movement, modern education and the Aligarh University were criticised, but Sir Dr. Ziauddin Ahmad stood for the safety of the university. We owe the renowned scholar a great debt for leaving an indelible mark on our education system.