A. K. A. Abdul Samad

A.K.A. Abdul Samad (Tamil: அப்துல் சமது) (4 October 1926 – 4 November 1999) was a prominent Tamil politician, and an important leader of the Indian Union Muslim League. He was also a journalist, editor, author, educationist and businessmanHe is popularly known in his native states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala by the title "Siraj-ul-Millat" (Light of the Nation).

Association with political parties[]

• All India General Secretary, Indian Union Muslim League
• State President (Tamil Nadu), Indian Union Muslim League

Political career[]

• MP, Ninth Lok Sabha, 1989–91 (affiliated with Indian National Congress, serving Vellore, TN)
• MP, Seventh Lok Sabha, 1980–84 (Independent, serving Vellore, TN)
• MLA, Legislative Assembly, Tamil Nadu, 1984–88 (affiliated with Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam serving Triplicane, Chennai)
• MP, Rajya Sabha, 1964–76

Government experience[]

• Member, Public Accounts Committee, Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, 1985–86
• Member, Public Accounts Committee, Rajya Sabha
• Member, Committee on Absence of Members from the Sittings of the House and Committee on Petitions, 7th Lok Sabha
• Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Rajya Sabha
• Member, Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Rajya Sabha
• Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Industry, 1990

Delegation to foreign countries[]

• Member, IPD to Yugoslavia, 1971
• Member, Govt. of India's Haj Delegation, 1971 and 1989

Memberships[]

• Syndicate Member, Madras University
• Senate Member, Annamalai University
• Court Member, Aligarh Muslim University
• President, Muslim Educational Association of South India (MEASI)
• Chairman, Board of Islamic Studies, Madras University

Publications[]

• Sweet Memories of Sacred Haj (Tamil)
• 'Narpaniyatri Nabi Mani' (Muhammad's Biography in Tamil)
• 'An Introduction to Holy Quran' (Tamil)
• Founder-Editor, Mani Chudar (Tamil Daily)
• Founder-Editor, Mani Vilakkur (Tamil Monthly)
• Publisher, Crescent (English Weekly)

Social activities[]

• Amelioration of the down-trodden
• Communal harmony
• Spread of higher education amongst Muslim minorities

External links[]

• https://web.archive.org/web/20120223184105/http://164.100.47.132/LssNew/biodata_1_12/2653.htm
• https://web.archive.org/web/20120626010449/http://www.indianunionmuslimleague.in/
• https://web.archive.org/web/20160304055815/http://parliamentofindia.nic.in/lsdeb/ls12/ses4/01210499.htm