Nationality Indian Role Politician Name Ishaq Jamkhanawala | Religion Islam Spouse(s) Latifa Jamkhanawala | |
Children Shoaib Jamkhanawala, Nakhat Mulla, Farhat Sayed Profession Doctor, Politician, Educationist | ||
Doctor Ishaq Jamkhanawala (born January 4, 1930) was an educationist, social worker and politician based in Mumbai. A former MLA (Nagpada:1977), MLC and a two times cabinet minister (1978, 1988) from Maharashtra. He is noted for playing a major role in expanding the Mumbai-based educational institution Anjuman-I-Islam as its President from 1983-2006. He was a supporter of womens education.
Contents
- Early life
- Doctorhood and social work
- Politics
- Anjuman I Islam
- Gandhian philosophy
- Personal life
- References
Early life
Born on January 4, 1930 into a middle-class family of traders in Belgaum, Karnataka, Dr. Jamkhanawala was the first person to complete secondary education in his family.He was still in his high school when his father expired and pursued higher education by seeking and attaining scholarships.
Doctorhood and social work
He moved to Mumbai in the early 1950s in pursuit of higher education at Grant Medical College,Mumbai. In 1958, he opened his own dispensary in the Chowki Mohalla area of Mumbai which was populated mostly by people from a lower economic background. In spite of being less financed himself, he would treat the ones who couldnt afford for free.
Politics
As a student, he was elected secretary of the literary association and cultural society of Grant Medical College and also elected general secretary of the Muslim students union of Mumbai in the 1950's.
He contested and won his first election for the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in Nagpada in 1977 representing the Janata Party. He was inducted into the cabinet as a minister of state for housing, finance, Waqf, labour and protocol.
In 1988, he was again a minister of state for Urban development and Waqf as part of the Congress. As a minister, he was known for his discipline and regular attendance at his office and enforcing an open door policy by granting all visitors easy access at Mumbai's Mantralaya.
Anjuman-I-Islam
Dr. Jamkhanawala assumed the office of presidency of Anjuman-I-Islam in 1983. He built and renovated several buildings under his leadership including orphanages and widow homes. He was a staunch promoter of women's education .
Gandhian philosophy
Dr. Jamkhanawala was a staunch follower of Mahatma Gandhi and his principles. He was the president of the Hindustani Prachar Sabha founded by Mahatma Gandhi and a member of the Gandhi Smarak Nidhi.
He believed in equal rights for all. Being an excellent Marathi orator himself, he promoted Marathi language and literature. He was associated with the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan as well as a member of court of the Aligarh Muslim University
Personal life
Dr. Jamkhanawala was an avid reader and loved poetry. He died on August 31, 2008 in Mumbai.