Akhlaqur Rahman Kidwai was the former governor of the state Haryana and Bihar. This academician has submitted over 40 Original Research Papers in Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry in National and International Journals. As a scientist and researcher in the fields of Organic and Natural Products, Chemistry and Biochemistry, he has distinguished himself. He has also been engaged in Education for over 35 years. He was a member of the Rajya Sabha, upper house of the Indian parliament from 2000-2004
Throughout his career in the field of education he has dealt with problems of Higher Education, especially in the fields of Science and technology, research, education technology, non-formal method of education and vocational education. He served as ex-officio Chancellor of all Universities during the tenure of Governor of Bihar and West Bengal. In these two states, he took keen interest in the working and development of university education. He made special efforts to bring up to date Madarasas Education by integrating them with modern education and technical training. The Khuda Baksh Oriental Public Library of Patna, at his commencement was modernized with facilities of Information Technology as an important reference library for advanced studies and research.
Early Life of A. R. Kidwai
A. R. Kidwai was born on 1st July 1920 to Late Shri Ashfaqur Rahman Kidwai and Late Shrimati Nasimunnisa at Vill. Baragaon, Barabanki District(Uttar Pradesh.). He did his B.A., M.S., and Ph.D from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, University of Illinois and Cornell University, U.S.A.
A. R. Kidwai`s Life as a Freedom Fighter
Dr. A.R. Kidwai took part in the Indian Freedom Struggle when he was just a student. He took part in all freedom movements initiated by Mahatma Gandhi from 1930 onwards. He also took active part in the historic August 1942 Quit India Movement and attended the Congress Session in Bombay. He was closely associated with the underground socialist leaders like Shri S.M. Joshi, Shri Ashok Mehta and Shrimati Aruna Asaf Ali. He has also played an active role in the publication of the Congress News Bulletin and broadcasting news through Azad Radio in Mumbai.
On Celebration of Mahatma Gandhi`s 125th Birth Anniversary in Bihar, Dr. Kidwai, as the Chairman of the Committee initiated a programme of marking out villages and ashrams where Mahatma Gandhi dynamically worked for the education and development among the oppressed people. He undertook the development and construction of the monuments of Gandhiji`s ashram. These centres were connected into a "Gandhi Circuit" so that the younger generations could visit them in order to get inspiration. For Gandhian Studies, a centre was set up at Bhagalpur University.
Important academic positions held by A. R. Kidwai
# Professor and Head, Department of Chemistry; Dean, Faculty of Science, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh (1951-67).
# Chairman and Member, Union Public Service Commission of India (1967-79).
# Governor of Bihar (First Term, 1979-85)
# Chancellor, Aligarh Muslim University (1983-90)
# President, Vocational Education Society for Women, New Delhi 1985 continued.
# Governor of Bihar (Second Term 1993-98)
# Governor of West Bengal (1998-99)
# Chairman, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Center for Biomedical Research, Delhi University (1998-2003)
# Research and Development Chemist, Cipla Labs., Mumbai (1941-45).
# Director, Department of Research Plant Products, Tibbiya Colleges, Aligarh Muslim University (1951-67)
# National Chairman, Institute of Marketing and Management, New Delhi (2000 continued)
# Chairman, Bombay Mercantile C0-operative Bank, Mumbai (1999-2003)
Political Career of A. R. Kidwai
A. R. Kidwai was the Chairman of Union Public Service Commission-UPSC, Government of India from 1974 to 1977. He also served as the Governor of Bihar twice, from 1979 to 1985 and 1993 to 1998, as well as Governor of West Bengal from 1998 to 1999.
Important Political Posts Held By A. R. Kidwai
During his tenure A. R. Kidwai has served in various posts that are listed below:
Member of Rajya Sabha (Jan. 2000-July 6, 2004) and also Member of the following Parliamentary Committees:
Consultative Committee for the Ministries of Science and Technology, Environment and Forest (2000-04)
Standing Committee on Agriculture, Water Resources and Food Processing Industries 15th March 2000-04.
Committee on Subordinate Legislation (2000-04).
Governor of Haryana on 7th July 2004.
Dr. A.R. Kidwai as Part of Important Committees, organizations and institutions of the country
# National Committee on Science and Technology, 1968-75
# Perspective Science and Technology Plan Committee of the Department of Science and Technology and the Planning Commission
# Council and the Governing Body of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) 1970-73
# Board of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Governing Bodies of Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow and Central Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad.
# Regional Imbalances Enquiry Commission, Jammu and Kashmir State, 1979
# State Planning Board and Heavy Industries Plan Committees, Government of Uttar Pradesh
# University Grants Commission (UGC) and Chairman of the Central Universities Review Committee, 1985-86
# Central Advisory Board of Education
# Central Council of Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs)
# Committee on New Education Policy, 1986 and Chairman of its Sub-Committee on Non-Formal Methods of Education
# Member and Patron Delhi Public School Society (1968-continued)
# Honorary Fellow of the Institution of Engineers, India
# Chairman, Review Committee on Unani Medicine, Ministry of Health, Government of India
# Chairman, Selection Board of Scientists Pool (1968-79)
# Chairman of the Board of Assessment of Educational and Technical Qualification for Employment, Ministry of Education, Government of India (1967-79)
# The American, British and Indian Chemical Societies
# American Association for the Advancement of Science
Important Government Posts Held by A. R. Kidwai
Dr. Kidwai initiated many special schemes and projects for the employment of the educated unemployed youth in urban centres and rural employment through incorporated farming and self-employment schemes in Bihar. The Department of Institutional Finance and Commercial Banks is also actively involved in it. He also Re-organized the Red Cross Society to endow with:
* polyclinics for free medical advice and treatment to the poor;
* facilities for free clinical testing and diagnosis,
* treatment and rehabilitation of physically handicapped
* Pre-Disaster Preparedness Centres in flood prone areas. Many the important centres were set up to supply free maternity and child welfare services, advice and treatment for family welfare programmes under the auspices of Maternity and Child Welfare Society, Bihar with the support of Department of Family Welfare.
He also introduced the computerized system to expedite the selection and promotion process in the Union Public Service Commission. Dr. Kidwai also replaced the English language, which was once the only medium of examination for the All India and the Central Services. He introduced a multilingual examination system to ensure the equality of opportunity for all.
Personal Life of A.R. Kidwai
Dr. A.R. Kidwai married to Late Shrimati Jamila Kidwai on December, 1941. The couple has two sons and four daughters.
Dr. A.R. Kidwai re-modified the Bharatya Niritya Kala Mandir, Patna as leading centres of traditional Indian and Tribal Dances. He initiated the set up of two important centers of performing arts at activities Shantiniketan and Kolkata and established a programme of coordinated cultural in each of the members` states of the Eastern Zone as the Chairman of North Eastern Zonal Cultural Council.
Dr. Kidwai also took part in a number of technological and educational conferences in countries like Germany, France, USA, Finland, UK, Japan, and Sweden and also toured extensively to the southern and West Asian countries.
