124. Dr. Mahfooz Ahmad

Honorary Treasurer

Aligarh Muslim University

Born : 19th April, 1934, Kota (Raj) India


Education

B.Com. University of Rajasthan, Herbert College Kota, India 1954.
M.A Economics. Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India 1956 (First Division and Awarded gold medal for topping in the University.)
Ph.D. Aligarh Muslim University, 1964 (sub: Small scale Industries and Economic Development).
Current Involvement
1. Honorary Treasurer, Aligarh Muslim University, (AMU)
2. Honorary Treasurer, Hamdard Education Society, Talimabad, Sangam Vihar Delhi
3. Member, Finance Committee, Hamdard University, Hamdard Nagar, New Delhi.
4. Member, Hamdard National Foundation, Asif Ali Road, New Delhi.

Dr Mahfooz Ahmed was born on 19 April 1934 in Kota,Rajasthan, in a poor Sheikh/ Syyed family of El Haj Mushtaq Ahmed a very humble and an honorable man. His mother Hameeda Begum, a Khaandani Syyeda was a dignified and a righteous lady belonging to a zamindar family.

Due to his father's unfortunate demise when he was a kid, the family of El Haj Mushtaq Ahmed, consisting of mother, two brothers and sister, was overtaken by financial difficulties His Brother Munshi Mohammad Ishaq had to cut short his education to feed the family and became a court petitioner in the court of the princely State of Kota. El Hai
Mushtaq Ahmed could not pursue studies due to various family obligations. However, he ensured that his son gets the best education.

Dr Mahfooz Ahmed did his schooling and graduation from Kota and his Master's in Economics from Aligarh. It was his father's dream to send him to Aligarh Muslim University for higher education. He fulfilled his father's desire and joined the university in 1954. He obtained MA Economics in 1956, in First Division and was awarded a medal for standing first in the university. He takes lots of pride being one of the favorite students of Prof. D.P. Mukherji, the doyen among university teacher of economics in the country and the Head of Economic Department of Aligarh Muslim Univrsity which in those years was headed by Dr. Zakir Hussain as Vice Chancellor. He was awarded Ph.D in 1964 on Small scale Industries and Economic Development. For Dr. Mahfooz Ahmed the rise from a humble beginning at a government school, to the teacher of economics at Aligarh and Delhi School of Economics and then to the status of a Secretary to the Government of India and retiring as a Justice of High Court, has been quite rewarding.

Dr Mahfooz Ahmed during his active professional carrier over a span of 41 years, acquired vast and varied experience in matters of economics and finance at macro and micro levels, as Teacher/ professor of
economics at graduate and post graduate level, Analyst, Researcher, Research guide, Planner and Policy maker at National level, United Nations Consultant and UN Regional advisor in Fiscal and Financial policies, Central banker on deputation to IMF, Expert in International Economic Relations/ Diplomacy/ Negotiations, "Doctor" of Sick
Industrial Companies and Interpreter of Law as a Justice/Judge of High Court. He represented Government of India at many formal meetings on National and International level; participated/Headed/Convened several Group/Committees of the government. He was included in the Delegation of Mrs. Indira Gandhi on her official visit to Saudi Arabia in 1983. He had the privilege of working with distinguished Luminaries including Dr. Manmohan Singh, the PM, Prof. Amartaya Sen (Nobel Laureate) Prof. V K R V Rao, Prof Jagdish Bhagwati, Prof K N Raj, Prof A L Nagar, Prof. K A Naqvi, A.M Khusroo and Prof. Sukumai Chakravarty. He also has the unique distinction of serving as Economic Advisor to seven Union Finance Ministers Shri H M Patel, Shri H N Augean, Choudhri Charan Singh, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, Shri Venkatraman, Shri V P Singh and Shri Rajiv Gandhi. As economic advisor he also had the privilege of working with Governors of Reserve Bank of India including I G Patel Dr. Manmohan Singh Dr. Rangarajan and Mr. Bimal Jalan and Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia. The various jobs held by him enabled him to travel to around forty countries in all the 6 continents of the world, North and South America, Europe, Africa, Australia and Asia.

Career Details

Dr Mahfooz Ahmed was MEMBER AAIFR, ( Appellate Authority for Industrial and Financial Re-Construction), Ministry of Finance, Government of India, 1994-1997 at the level of a Judge/Justice of High Court. He was involved in hearing appeals against Orders of BIFR under the Sick Industries Companies (Special Provisions) Act, 1985. He was responsible in expediting the legal process in reaching decision on appeals and shortening the backlog. Some judgments recorded by him were legally substantive.

Dr Mahfooz Ahmed was MEMBER BIFR, (Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction) Ministry of Finance Government of India, , at the level of Secretary to Government of India,1987-1994. The Job of a Member involved re-habilitation and restructuring of Large Sick Industrial Companies, within the framework of Sick Industries Companies Act of 1985. As a founder member of BIFR, participated in establishing/setting up of BIFR and providing guidance in the design/ formulation and implementation of re-habilitation/ restructuring schemes by Banks and Institutions; held "hearing" similar to that of High Court, at head quarters at New Delhi and at State capitals; Bombay Calcutta, Chennai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Bhubneshwar, Hyderabad, cochin and Lucknow.

Dr Mahfooz Ahmed was Chief Economic Advisor, Bank of Zambia, Lusaka, 1983-1986, On deputation from Government of India to International (IMF). He was involved in designing/ formulating and execution of monetary policies of Zambia and day to day operations of the Central Reserve Bank and dealing with International and monetary affairs/negotiations. He assisted in computerization of foreign exchange operations of the bank and setting up of the IMF sponsored foreign exchange auction regime of Zambia.

Dr Mahfooz Ahmed was Economic Advisor, Department of Economic, Affairs Ministry of Finance, Government of India, 1978-1986. He joined the government of India as lateral entry at the level of joint secretary plus through selection by Union Public Service Commission. He was involved in formulating, designing and advising on economic policies for the country. He assisted in writing/preparing the Annual Surveys of Ministry of Finance, Government of India, for years 1979-1983. He represented India in many International meetings and Seminars UN, UNCTAD, GROUP 77, IMF, IBRD, at Paris (France), Belgrade (Yugoslavia), Buenos Aires (Argentina), George Town (Jamaica), Washington and New York( USA), Geneva (Switzerland), Tripoli (Tunisia), Bangkok (Thailand). He accompanied Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi on a official visit to Saudi Arabia as the Economic Advisor M/o Finance. Mr. Hamid Ansari the then the Joint Secretary and Chief of Protocol was also the part of the delegation.

Dr Mahfooz Ahmed has the unique distinction of serving as Economic advisor to seven Union Finance Ministers Shri H M Patel, Shri H N Bahuguna, Chaudhary Charan Singh, Shri Prefab Mukherjee, Shri Venkat raman, Shri V P Singh and Shri Rajiv Gandhi. As economic advisor he also had the privilege of working with Governors of RBI including Dr. I G
Patel Dr. Manmohan Singh Dr. Rangarajan Mr. Bimal Jalan and Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

Dr Mahfooz Ahmed was Regional Advisor in Fiscal and Financial policies, 1972-1974. ESCAP, Bangkok, Thailand. He was among the youngest Regional Advisors in the UN system at the age of 38 years. He represented United
Nations in many meetings / Seminars in Fiji and Philippines. He went on advisory missions to Governments of Asia and Far East: Iran, Nepal, Laos, Papua New Guinea; He also was included as an expert in UN recruitment mission to Japan along with assistant secretary General of UN. He assisted in writing the ESCAP's annual surveys of Asia Far
East, for years 1969, 1972, 1973, 1974 respectively.

Dr Mahfooz Ahmed was a Consultant, United Nations Economic Commission for Asia and Pacific, ESCAP Bangkok Thailand, 1969. He worked on a monograph "strategies for agricultural development" which was included in Part I of the Annual Economic Survey of Far east published by ESCAP 1969.

Dr Mahfooz Ahmed was Senior Reader in Economics, Delhi University/ Delhi School of Economics, 1966-1978. He taught at post graduate level and guided research on Economic Development. He had the privilege of working
as colleagues with distinguished Luminaries including Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prof. Amartaya sen (Nobel Laureate), Prof. V K R V Rao ,Prof Jagdeesh Bhagwati, Prof K N Raj, Prof. A L Nagar, Prof. K A Naqvi, Prof.Sukumai Chakravarty, Prof A..M. Khusro.

Dr Mahfooz Ahmed was a Lecturer in Economics, Aligarh Muslim University, 1961-1966. He taught at Graduate and Post Graduate level in the Department of Economics. He was Research Fellow, Indian Statistical Institute, Calcutta, 1956-1961. He was personally appointed by Professor P C Mahalanobis, the father of Indian Planning. He assisted in the preparation of the Second Five Year Plan of India.

Publications

Dr Mahfooz Ahmed has published various articles in economic journals. He has written monographs and analytical papers; and has written extensively for the Government of India and the United Nations. His research work on Income Distribution in India is well recognized. The topic of his PhD Thesis was Small Scale Industries and Economic
Development.

Dr Mahfooz Ahmed was invited to attend a conference on Islamic economics at Mekkah, Saudi Arabia in 1979. He was also invited to attend an International Seminar on Islamic economics at University of Oxford, England, attended by well known scholars in 1982. He performed the holy pilgrimage of Hajj with his familyin 1985 and 1986.

Dr Mahfooz Ahmed lives in Delhi with his family.

Source :aligarhmovement.com