Former Minister Bashiruddin Babu Khan laid to eternal rest

(Siasat News): The eminent and popular political and social leader Bashiruddin Babu Khan was laid to eternity in the cemetery situated at Road No. 12 Banjara Hills with thousands in attendance and tears in their eyes.

He breathed his last at 10 am. He was ill for quite some time. Namaze Janaza was performed at Shahi Masjid, public garden. The eminent personalities present on the occasion were M/s Zahid Ali Khan, editor Siasat, Amer Ali Khan, news editor, Mohd. Ali Shabbir, MLC, Mohd. Fareeduddin, ex-minister, Mahmood Ali, MLC (TRS) former cricketer Arshad Ayub, Mirza Yawar Ali Baig, Zafar Javed, Raoofuddin Farooqui, A K Khan, MD APSRTC, Mahnood Ashfaq, Maulana Naseeruddin, Hamed Mohd. Khan, K M Arifuddin, Mohd. Ali Rafath, IAS, Nayyar Quadri and Khleequr Rahman.

Earlier, those eminent personalities who reached the Jubilee Hills residence of the departed leader and expressed condolences include M/s T Subbi Rami Reddy, K Keshav Rao and Hanumanth Rao.

The departed leader was bereaved by widow Sarwar Babukhan, son Salman Babukhan and two daughters. The late Babukhan the son of Khan Bahadur Abdul Karim Babukhan and the elder brother of Gayasuddin Babukhan. He was born on September 20, 1941 and was 72 at the time of his death.

He was highly educated builder and politician and was one of the founder members of Telugu Desham. He served as a minister during the reign of late NTR and Chandrababu Naidu. Not only this, he was the first Muslim minister of AP who was assigned the portfolio of higher education.

He had resigned over the alleged political alliance of Telugu Desham with communal BJP in protest and was associated with Congress in 2004. In the field of real estate, the late Babukhan carved a niche for Babukhan family. Babukhan Estate is the testimony of this as it is a 17-floor building situated at Basheer baug and no other building was constructed in twin cities with as many floors as that of Babukhan Estate.

He was the real leader of the people and conducted many workshops in connection with the awareness of the various government schemes for the welfare of Muslims in his Bodhan constituency. He was the person who had proposed the construction of Haj House.

He was a pious and devout Muslim and was instrumental to get the Islamic literature and other religious articles translated into English for the religious guidance of the new generation.

His wife also runs an NGO for the welfare and guidance of the Muslim women.

Recently, his biography was also published and was conferred with the Lifetime Achievement Award by Mesco and National Commission for Minority Education Institutions, Government of India for his outstanding and selfless services.

Wajid_siasat@yahoo.in