By Dr. Syed Ahmed for TwoCircles.net,
Imphal: Dr Syed Ahmed was sworn in as the 16th Governor of Manipur at the Durbar Hall of Raj Bhavan here on 16th May 2015. Chief Justice of Manipur High Court Laxmi Kanta Mohapatra administered the oath of office and secrecy to Dr Syed Ahmad. Chief Secretary of the State P.C. Lawmkunga presided the swearing-in-ceremony.
Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam and the Council of Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries, MLAs, Director General of Police Shahid Ahmed and other high ranking civil and police officials attended the swearing-in ceremony.
(Credit: e-pao.net)
The new Governor was given the guard of honour by a contingent of Manipur Rifles.
Dr Syed Ahmed was appointed as the 8th Governor of Jharkhand in September 2011 by the then Congress-led Government.
Dr Syed Ahmed was a veteran Congress leader. He started his political career from Maharsatra where he joined Indian National Congress in 1977. He represented the State Assembly for 5 times. He also served as Minister – Minister of State for Environment, Housing, Repairs & Reconstructions, Slum Improvement and Aukaf from 1986-1988, Minister of State for Energy, Environment, Textiles, Aukaf and Prohibition Propaganda in 1991, and Minister for Housing, Slum Improvement, House Repairs and Reconstruction and Aukaf from 2001 to 2004.
Dr Syed Ahmed also served as Chairman of Minority Cell of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) from 1989-1993. He was a member of Central Wakf Council from 1985 to 1988 and from 2001 to 2006. He was one of the members of the Central Government Haj Delegation for Saudi Arabia in 1989 and 1993. From 2001 to 2006 he held the charge of Chairman of Maharashtra State Haj Committee. During his tenure as member of All India Congress Committee (AICC) from 2005 onwards, he was engaged as Observer of Assembly elections in many States.
Dr Syed Ahmed is an ardent social activist associated with different bodies which work for the welfare of the society. He served as President of the Maharashtra Welfare Centre, Sabira Naqi Education Society (U.P.), Tameeri Idaara (U.P.), Awadh Cultural Society (Mumbai) and Sayed & Sayed Educational Trust (Mumbai).
Dr Syed Ahmed is a well-known Urdu scholar who has authored few Urdu books on literature and history, which includes “The Revolutionary Character of Urdu Poetry (1857 A.D. to 1947 A.D.),” “Collections of Essays on the role of Muslims in Struggle for freedom” and “Collections of Essays on the role of Urdu in Struggle for freedom.”
Dr Syed Ahmed was born to Syed Ali Naqi on 6th March 1945 in Mumbai. He had his M.A. in English and Hindi from Lucknow University and Ph.D in Urdu from Bombay University.
(Disclaimer: It’s a happy coincidence that TCN Manipur Correspondent is the namesake of the new governor, but two are different persons.)