Hours after collapse in parliament, E Ahamed, 78, passes away

New Delhi, Feb 1: Indian Union Muslim League national president and former minister of state for External Affairs Minister E. Ahamed (78) who suffered a cardiac arrest in Parliament on Tuesday passed away at the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital in New Delhi. His death was confirmed at 2.30 a.m. on Wednesday.

His body will be kept at his official residence in Delhi for public homage till noon and will be flown down to Calicut airport at 2 p.m. Thereafter, it will be taken to Haj House at Karipur and then League House in Kozhikode. The cremation will be held in Kannur on Thursday.

He was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1967, 1977, 1980, 1982 and 1987. From 1982 to 1987, he served as Cabinet Minister for Industries, Government of Kerala.

From 1971 to 1977, Mr. Ahamed was the Founding Chairman of the Kerala State Rural Development Board. From 1979 to 1980 he was the Executive Chairman of the Kerala State Small Scale Industries Development Corporation. From 1981 to 1983 he was the Chairman of the Municipal Council in Kannur, Kerala.

He was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2004 and 2009. May 2004 – May 2009 he served as the Minister of State for External Affairs. May 2009 – January 2011, he was Minister of State for Railways. He assumed charge again as Minister of State of External Affairs on January 24, 2011. Mr. Ahamed assumed the additional charge as Minister of State for Human Resource Development on 12th July, 2011.

Mr. Ahamed was the National President of the Indian Union Muslim League. During his tenure in the Parliament, he has been a member of several parliamentary committees including External Affairs, Railways, Civil Aviation and Tourism, Public Undertakings, Science and Technology, Environment and Forests. Mr. Ahamed was also the Chairman of the Government Assurance Committee.

He graduated from Govt. Brennen College in Tellicherry, Kerala and later obtained a Law Degree from the Government Law College in Thiruvanathapuram, Kerala.

Mr. Ahamed is widely travelled and has represented India in the United Nations six times between 1991 and 2009. In 1984, he was sent to GCC countries as an Emissary of the then Prime Minister late Mrs. Indira Gandhi. Born on 29 April, 1938, Mr. Ahamed has performed Hajj seven times – five times as Member of Government of India Haj Goodwill Delegation. He has also authored 3 books in English and Malayalam.

He was married to Late Mrs. Zuhara Ahamed. Mr. Ahamed has two sons and one daughter.

His hobbies include reading, writing and watching sports.

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