By TCN News,
Thiruvananthapuram: Dr KM Bahauddin (82), former pro-Vice Chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University, died yesterday in Thiruvananthapuram. The burial took place in the afternoon in his home village Paravur in Kollam. He had been admitted to a hospital in Kochi, where he was living after his retirement, before being taken to a hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. He is survived by wife Ramla, three daughters and a son.
Prof Bahauddin graduated in Civil Engineering from the Aligarh University and did his post-graduation in the Manchester University. He was the Principal of the Regional Engineering College, Calicut, from 1968 to 1981. He served as the PVC of the Aligarh University from 1981 to 1984. He was a member of the UR Ananthamurthy Commission on education appointed by the Kerala government. He also headed the National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA). He was associated with the founding of various organizations such as the Muslim Service Society (MSS), Muslim Educational Society (MES), Centre for Information and Guidance India (CIGI), the PM Foundation and the Forum for Faith and Fraternity.
Dr KM Bahauddin
Dr Bahauddin served as the principal of the REC during the national emergency period. When Rajan, a student of the college, was found missing, the principal testified that the police had taken the student into custody. It is alleged that Rajan was tortured to death by the police and the bold testimony was decisive in the case which finally led the Chief Minister K Karunakaran to step down.
His book on the history of Kerala Muslims was published in both English and Malayalam. It dealt with the struggle of the Muslims of Kerala against all sorts of foreign invasion beginning from the Portuguese in the end of the 15th century to the British till independence. His other books are in Malayalam – one on the Iraq war and the other on Kerala’s social structure. He was awarded the prestigious Sir Syed Ahmed Khan Award instituted by the American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin in 2005.
[Photo Courtesy: madhyamam.com]