E. Ahamed

E. Ahamed (29 April 1938 – 1 February 2017), Edappakath Ahamed in full,[1] was an Indian politician from Kannur (then Cannanore) in northern Kerala.[2] A Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) between 1991 and 2017, he was a key figure in India's diplomatic relations with the Middle East.[3]

E. Ahamed
Ahamed in 2014
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office
2009–2017
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byP. K. Kunhalikutty
ConstituencyMalappuram
In office
2004–2009
Preceded byG. M. Banatwala
Succeeded byE. T. Mohammed Basheer
ConstituencyPonnani
In office
1991–2004
Preceded byEbrahim Sulaiman Sait
Succeeded byT. K. Hamza
ConstituencyManjeri
Minister of State for External Affairs
In office
23 May 2004 – 26 May 2014
Prime MinisterManmohan Singh
Minister
Preceded byVinod Khanna
Succeeded byV. K. Singh
Personal details
Born(1938-04-29)29 April 1938
Cannanore, Madras Presidency, British India
(now Kerala)
Died1 February 2017(2017-02-01) (aged 78)
New Delhi
Political party Indian Union Muslim League
SpouseZuhara Ahamed
Children2 sons and 1 daughter
Alma materBrennen College, Tellicherry
In this Malayali name, the person is referred to by their given name, Ahamed, and not by their surname, Edappakath.

Educated at Brennen College, Tellicherry and Trivandrum Law College, Ahamed was first elected to Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1967 (from Kannur, with Indian Union Muslim League).[2][4] He later served as a cabinet minister (Industry) in the U D F ministry headed by Congress-leader K. Karunakaran (1982–87).[4] He was first elected to the Parliament (Lok Sabha) in 1991.[4] Ahamed was appointed Union Minister of State, Ministry of External Affairs, in 2004 (Congress-led U P A ministry headed by Manmohan Singh).[2] He also served as Union Minister of State for Railways and Human Resource Development.[2]

Ahamed served as the National President, Indian Union Muslim League between 2008 and 2017.[2][4] He was the first Indian Union Muslim League union minister in independent India.[5] In 2004, he was famously dispatched by Atal Bihari Vajpayee to the United Nations (Geneva) to represent India.[6][7]

Early life

E. Ahamed was born on 29 April 1938 at Cannanore, Malabar District to Edappakath Nafeesa Beevi and Ovintakath Abdul Khader (in a merchant family).[2][1] He carried his mother's 'house name' as his initials as the tradition among the Cannanore Mappilas.[1]

He graduated from Government Brennen College, Tellicherry and later obtained a law degree from Trivandrum Law College.[2] He was the first General Secretary of the M. S. F., the students' wing of Indian Union Muslim League.[1] He also worked as a reporter for the Chandrika newsapaper.[1] Ahamed married Zuhara in 1961 (died in an accident in 1999).[2] The couple has three children.[2][8]

Political career

In Kerala
Kerala Council of Ministers, 1982 - 87 (1983)
Mandate Legislative Assembly Constituency Party
1967 3rd Assembly Cannanore Indian Union Muslim League
1977 5th Assembly Koduvally
1980 6th Assembly Tanur
1982 7th Assembly
1987 8th Assembly
  • Ahamed served as Minister for Industry from May 1982 to March 1987 (U D F ministry headed by Congress-leader K. Karunakaran).[4][1]
  • He was a member of the Kerala and Calicut University Senate.[4] He was also Chairman, Kannur Municipal Council (1981–83).[4]
  • He also served as the founder Chairman, Kerala State Rural Development Board (1971–77), and Chairman, Kerala Small Industries Development Corporation.[4][2]
  • Ahamed was chosen as the General Secretary, Indian Union Muslim League in 1995.[2]

Career in national politics
Mandate Constituency Party
1991 Manjeri Indian Union Muslim League
1996
1998
1999
2004 Ponnani
2009 Malappuram
2014
  • From 2004 to 2009, Ahamed served as the Minister of State for External Affairs.[2] From 2009 to 2011, he was the Minister of State for Railways.[2] He assumed charge again as Minister of State for External Affairs in early 2011.[2] Ahamed also held the additional charge of the Union Minister of State, Human Resource Development 2011 to 2012.[2]

Other positions

President

  • Muslim Educational Foundation, Panur, Kannur[2]
  • Kannur Deenul Islam Sabha, Kerala[2]

Member

Representing India
  • Ahamed represented India in the United Nations several times between 1991 and 2014.[9][1]
  • Special Emissary, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to the Gulf (1984).[9]
  • Chairman, Crisis Management Group (Iraq hostage crisis, August–September, 2004).[2]

Minister in different ministries
Kerala Government
PeriodPortfolioChief Minister
1982 – 1987IndustryK. Karunakaran
Union Government
Period Portfolios Prime Minister
2004 – 2014Junior Minister
  • External Affairs (2004–09 and 2011–14)
  • Railways (2009 - 2011)
  • Human Resource Development (2011 - 2012)
 Manmohan Singh

Death

Ahamed died on 1 February 2017 after suffering a cardiac arrest in a joint session of Parliament.[10][9] He was buried with full state honours at the Kannur City Juma Masjid.[11]

References
  1. Koodallur, Musthafa (1 February 2017). "Gujarat or Kashmir, Ahamed Never Minced his Words". Malayala Manorama.
  2. "E. Ahamed". Lok Sabha. Government of India.
  3. "Former Union Minister E Ahamed Passes Away". Malayala Manorama. 1 February 2017.
  4. "E. Ahamed". Kerala State Legislative Assembly. Government of Kerala.
  5. "E. Ahamed: Minister of State for External Affairs". Hindustan Times. 19 June 2004. Archived from the original on 7 June 2020.
  6. Madampat, Shajahan (11 April 2019). "The importance of IUML". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 12 June 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  7. Nair, Preetha (19 April 2019). "A Coloured Scheme of Things". Outlook. Archived from the original on 17 June 2020.
  8. "Muslim League Deshiya Adhyakshanum Mun Kendra Manthriyumaya E. Ahamed M. P. Antharichu". Malayala Manorama. 1 February 2017. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017.
  9. The Quint; Press Trust of India; Indo-Asian News Service (1 February 2017). "Kerala M. P. E. Ahamed Dies After Suffering Heart Attack in Parliament". The Quint.
  10. "Former Minister E Ahamed Dies After Suffering Cardiac Arrest". NDTV. 1 February 2017.
  11. "Kunhalikutty Wins Malappuram Lok Sabha By-poll, Clocks a Lead of 1.7 Lakh Votes". Malayala Manorama. 17 April 2017. Archived from the original on 17 April 2017.
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