10th IOS Lifetime Achievement Award presented to Mr. K. Rahman Khan

10th IOS Lifetime Achievement Award presented to Mr. K. Rahman Khan

New Delhi: The tenth “IOS Lifetime Achievement Award” was conferred on the former union minister for minority affairs, Mr. K. Rahman Khan at an impressive function organised by the Institute of Objective Studies on December 29, 2022 at the speaker hall of the Constitution Club of India, New Delhi.

The function began with the recitation of a verse from the Holy Qur’an by Adnan Nadwi. The secretary general of the IOS, Prof. Z.M. Khan, welcomed the guests and introduced the Institute by highlighting its activities. In his speech, he said that K. Rahman had been associated with the IOS for a long time. The Institute had completed three and a half decades of its existence with steady progress and widening the scope of its endeavours as a non-political and non-profitable organisation. It had gained recognition in all relevant quarters at a national and international plane for promoting research, conducting surveys on relevant themes, publishing books and journals in the areas of national concern and pressing challenges of civil societies, awarding scholarships to meritorious university scholars, actively participating in social welfare, educational and management fields. He observed that the focal areas might also be identified for developing development models suiting to Indian masses, particularly the poor, marginalised and deprived sections; initiatives to foster world peace, and strive hard to develop mechanisms and environment for conflict resolution.

Prof. Khan noted that the IOS had specifically tried to create linkages with other NGOs on practical levels by creating synergy for collaborative efforts and programmes. Another notable area had been to work on regional problems and profiles of marginalised sections of society in different regions of India. He said that the Institute had become a trendsetter in the fields of conceptual and investigative research on the Quranic approach to human problems and the problems of Muslims in India. He invited suggestions for making the Institute more meaningful.

Prof. Khan’s speech was followed by the reading out of the citation by S.M. Shafiq which read as “A legislator, a parliamentarian, and educationist, a master of the accounting profession, an intellectual of global standing, an editor of reputed newspapers, a social activist…, the life and times of Mr. K. Rahman Khan are embellished with achievements, glittering with causes he has upheld in the Parliament of India, in the Karnataka State Legislatures, impacting and benefitting the lives of millions of people in India and across the world… “In 1994, Mr. Rahman Khan stepped into the national stage. For the next twenty-four years, Mr. Khan left his mark in the Upper House/Rajya Sabha as an hon’ble Member of Parliament, a Deputy Leader of his party, the Indian National Congress, a Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers. Indeed, a brilliant political career, unmatched by his peers”.

“In 1966, upon his initiative in Rajya Sabha, a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on Waqf was formed after he successfully highlighted the loopholes and gaps to be filled in the Waqf Act, 1995 for the benefit of the Muslim Ummah, including humanity at large…” Deeply connected with the finest and the most refined facets of life and learning, Mr. Khan’s contributions as a patron of cultural, educational, artistic and scientific causes are legendary. Innumerable Trusts, Foundations and Civil Society bodies have benefited from his patronage…” The Institute of Objective Studies deems it an honour and privilege to present the Tenth IOS Lifetime Achievement Award to him in recognition of his selfless and dedicated services to the nation”.

Prof. Furqan Qamar, former Vice-Chancellor, University of Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh, presented the scroll of honour to K. Rahman Khan.

Chairman of the IOS, Dr. M. Manzoor Alam, presented a cheque of One Lakh rupees to K. Rahman Khan as the amount carried by the award.

A momento was presented to him by the former chief minister of Uttarakhand, Harish Singh Rawat. Addressing as the chief guest, Harish Rawat said that he saw K. Rahman Khan working in different capacities. Whichever institution he worked for, he did its complete makeover. He saw his work in educational and social fields and his role as a parliamentarian. Describing him as a perfect personality, he noted that as the deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha, K. Rahman Khan conducted proceeding of the House in a decent manner. On a number occasions, he displayed maximum restraint and caution while giving his ruling on difficult and contentious issues. He used to be tough on several matters, but his explanation was very convincing to both treasury and opposition benches. As a union minister for minority affairs, his proactive initiatives were acclaimed by the community. His contribution in the field of education was peerless as he opened several educational institutions in Karnataka, his own state, for the benefit of Muslims and other communities. In public life, he encountered several difficulties, but overcome them in the long run.

Harish Rawat observed that Rahman Khan launched a number of schemes for the benefit of the minorities. He was always very sincere about his work and had a sense of belonging to the welfare of the community. He was never found wanting in his efforts to empower new generation with education. He observed that he learnt a lot from Rahman Khan. Referring to the state of affair today, he said that the number of well-meaning persons was sharply declining. Such people had been putting the shortcomings under wraps in order to avoid giving grist to the propaganda machinery. Things had changed now as the history was being sought to be re-written. They wanted to negate the facts of Indian history, down-playing the sacrifices made by great leaders. He maintained that earlier, people used to vote on the basis of the qualities of the candidates. But today, the mood of the country was being changed to suit the whims of certain people.  Quoting the senior Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi who said that he wanted to ‘open shops of love in the corridors of hatred’, he said that instead of knowing the identity of a person he should be listened first. He described Rahman Khan as a lighthouse who spread light to illuminate whoever came into its contact. By honouring K. Rahman Khan, Chairman of the IOS, Dr. M. Manzoor Alam had honoured the society, he added.

Speaking as the guest of honour, Prof. Furqan Qamar commented on the current situation and said that it could be likened to the time existent during the Britishers which prompted the famous Urdu poet, Akbar Allahabadi to say that “The rivals lodged an FIR with the police that Akbar uttered Allah’s name even in this age”. Under the prevailing situation, the IOS was doing yeoman’s service by not sticking to subjectivity and engaging itself in inter-faith dialogues for proper understanding of one’s religion and its practices. He felt proud of the recipients of the lifetime achievement award being given by the Institute of Objective Studies to the eminent personalities who made exceptional contribution in different fields since 2007. Enumerating the names of the awardees in the list, he held that K.R. Rahman fully deserved the award. In this connection, he recited a couplet of the prominent Urdu poet, Allama Iqbal. Since the function was being held in the Constitution Club, the Constitution of India should be safeguarded. He noted that Rahman Khan symbolised all the things enunciated by Dr. Iqbal in his poem, “Lub Pe Aati Hai Dua Banke Tamanna Meri…” But unfortunately, a student was punished by the school for singing this song. He remarked that both Harish Rawat and Rahman Khan rekindled identical hope. He concluded by saying that he served as a member of the committee on the minorities set up by A.R. Antulay, the then union minister of minority affairs.

In his special address, the Vice-Chairman of the IOS, Prof. M. Afzal Wani, observed that the Institute reflected values and the vision of the Constitution. It also reflected the dignity of governance in the country. He said that K. Rahman Khan was assertive and had a vision. People knew what he did for their welfare. He did his best to educationally and socially empower the people. He had been a benefactor of the people and thus the society must appreciate his sincerity. He had challenges before him as was reflected from his biography. He held that Rahman Khan piloted a bill to amend the Waqf Act in the face of stiff opposition to it in 2013. His life was a light in the darkness, Prof. Wani concluded.

Addressing the function, K. Rahman Khan, said that he had been associated with the IOS for the last three decades. Describing the chairman of the IOS Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam as an intellectual, he noted that he had been discussing a number of issues relating to the community and nation. IOS contribution in the field of data collection, publication, research, etc., was noteworthy. Referring to the psyche of the Muslim community, he said that sentiments had gripped leading to the loss of proper vision among them. He admitted to have benefited from the guidance of the IOS chief. Laying stress on the need for a dialogue among the stakeholders, he noted that he had been holding regular consultations on various issues. He criticised those who said that nothing substantial was done in the matter of awqaf and everything was lost during the period. This simply meant that they became oblivious to the sacrifices made by the leaders of the community. He asked the members of the community to always adopt positive attitude that was the only key to success.

K. Rahman Khan, claimed that he was the first Muslim chartered accountant of Karnataka. Underlining the importance of education, he said that it played an important role in changing the life of an individual. This was due to training one underwent. He maintained that he been connected with the educational institutions for the last 55 years. He set up schools, engineering colleges and other institutions. Besides knowledge, one needed initiatives to be taken for success. He complained that the Muslim community was very sentimental and less inclined to take initiatives. In a diverse society, every community has a participatory role which could not be termed as communal. If one could not help himself, nobody would come forward to help him. He said that he was first Muslim to open a medical college, an engineering college and several degree colleges. In order to educationally empower Lingayat community in Karnataka, several educational institutions were opened and they were smoothly running for the last 100 years. He asked the Muslims to become givers and not seekers. He thanked Allah for granting him an opportunity to work for the benefit of his community. He was of the firm opinion that if one had ability then help would definitely come his way.

K. Rahman Khan, called for holding dialogues to end an atmosphere of conflict. There should be no occasion of conflict. An atmosphere of goodwill and brotherhood should be created to sustain secularism. Communal harmony and brotherhood were the prerequisite for progress and prosperity. He said that the onus of saving the Constitution rested on everybody. He recalled the statement of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar who warned at the Round Table Conference in London that if proper steps were not taken, India would end up a majoritarian state. He held that the bills on data centre and equal opportunities commission were introduced by him in parliament. He vowed to continue his struggle for the cause of society.

In his presidential remarks, the Chairman of the IOS, Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam observed that the legacy of the IOS Lifetime Achievement had been rich, and this year too, the honour was being dedicated to someone whose phenomenal life and actions were nothing short of an inspiration. The 10th IOS lifetime achievement was being bestowed on a warm and gracious person whom he had known for decades. He said that throughout his active life, K. Rahman Khan Saheb had helped people and reached out to institutions which needed his help and support. With an innate desire to help community at large, his immense contribution for the upliftment of the Muslim community was also commendable, he noted.

Referring to the contribution of K. Rahman Khan in the areas of waqfs and waqf management, he said that he gained immensely from his knowledge and insights. While attending a programme organised by the IOS on waqf, he patiently listened to the challenges faced by the waqf management and promises to do everything to help in his capacity, he concluded.

At the end of the function, assistant general secretary of the IOS, Prof. Haseena Hashia extended a vote of thanks.

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