Last rites: Dr Manzooruddin Ahmed, KU’s former VC, dies at 83
Dr Ahmed also taught at Columbia University.
In September 1987, Dr Ahmed was appointed as the university’s vice chancellor, a position he held till July 1990.
KARACHI:
A former vice chancellor of the University of Karachi (KU), Prof. Dr Manzooruddin Ahmed, died at the age of 83 in Syracuse, New York.
Born at Sultanpur (UP) India in 1929, Dr Ahmed earned a Master’s degree in diplomacy and international affairs from Allahabad University in 1949. Afterwards, he did his PhD in political science from Columbia University, New York in 1960.
Dr Ahmed joined KU as a professor of political science in 1973, but left after some time for Columbia, where he also taught the same subject. He also served as the Quaid-e-Azam distinguished professor of political science and the director of Pakistan Centre/South Asian Institute at Columbia.
Between 1976 and 1979, he also held the Pakistan Chair, which was revived by former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto during his 1973 visit to the United States. The chair was suspended during the 1965 Indo-Pak war.
Upon his return to Pakistan, Dr Ahmed became the chairperson of KU’s political science department and later served as the dean of the arts faculty. In September 1987, Dr Ahmed was appointed as the university’s vice chancellor, a position he held till July 1990.
“His unique quality was his simple nature that is hard to expect from such an intelligent and learned man,” said Dr Tanweer Khalid, a professor at KU’s political science department, who was a student and a colleague of Dr Ahmed.
Dr Khalid was fortunate enough to meet her mentor, who also supervised her doctorate thesis, in San Jose, California, this year in May. “Despite his weak health, Dr Ahmed arrived to welcome me at the gate,” she recalled. “By chance it was his birthday and I saw who happy he was with his sons, daughters and grandchildren.”
Dr Ahmed had written and contributed to a number of books, including the latest one “Pakistan: Independence and Beyond”, published in May 2012. He is survived by three daughters and two sons.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 29th, 2012.
A former vice chancellor of the University of Karachi (KU), Prof. Dr Manzooruddin Ahmed, died at the age of 83 in Syracuse, New York.
Born at Sultanpur (UP) India in 1929, Dr Ahmed earned a Master’s degree in diplomacy and international affairs from Allahabad University in 1949. Afterwards, he did his PhD in political science from Columbia University, New York in 1960.
Dr Ahmed joined KU as a professor of political science in 1973, but left after some time for Columbia, where he also taught the same subject. He also served as the Quaid-e-Azam distinguished professor of political science and the director of Pakistan Centre/South Asian Institute at Columbia.
Between 1976 and 1979, he also held the Pakistan Chair, which was revived by former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto during his 1973 visit to the United States. The chair was suspended during the 1965 Indo-Pak war.
Upon his return to Pakistan, Dr Ahmed became the chairperson of KU’s political science department and later served as the dean of the arts faculty. In September 1987, Dr Ahmed was appointed as the university’s vice chancellor, a position he held till July 1990.
“His unique quality was his simple nature that is hard to expect from such an intelligent and learned man,” said Dr Tanweer Khalid, a professor at KU’s political science department, who was a student and a colleague of Dr Ahmed.
Dr Khalid was fortunate enough to meet her mentor, who also supervised her doctorate thesis, in San Jose, California, this year in May. “Despite his weak health, Dr Ahmed arrived to welcome me at the gate,” she recalled. “By chance it was his birthday and I saw who happy he was with his sons, daughters and grandchildren.”
Dr Ahmed had written and contributed to a number of books, including the latest one “Pakistan: Independence and Beyond”, published in May 2012. He is survived by three daughters and two sons.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 29th, 2012.