New Delhi: Birth anniversary of noted Hakeem Padma Bhushan Hakeem Abdul Hameed was celebrated on September 14, 2018. Former Rajya Sabha MP and noted journalist Shahid Siddiqui delivered the lecture on ‘Hakeem Abdul Hamed, a great thinker, philosopher and his role in the construction of the nation’ as Chief Guest. The programme was presided over by Prof Syed Ihtesham Hasnain Vice Chancellor Jamia Hamdard. Prof Ihtesham Hasnain said late Hakeem Abdul Hameed was ‘Hamdard’ in the real sense.
Pro Vice-Chancellor Prof Ahmed Kamal, registrar Saud Akhtar, relatives of Hakeem Abdul Hameed from India and Pakistan, a large number of teachers, officers and students were present on the occasion.
Late Hakeem Abdul Hameed, a renowned physician, was the Founder-Chancellor of Jamia Hamdard, which he established with his own resources. A great philanthropist, thinker and visionary, he set up several institutions with the funds of Hamdard Wakf Laboratories. Some of the esteemed institutions established by him include Hamdard National Foundation, Hamdard Education Society, Hamdard Study Circle, Hamdard Public School, Hamdard Institute of Historical Research, Ghalib Academy, Centre for South Asian Studies and Business & Employment Bureau.
Hakeem Abdul Hameed was honoured by several national and international awards including the Avicenna Award presented by the erstwhile USSR in 1983. He was conferred with Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan by the Government of India. He was also an honorary member of the Academy of Medical Science of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh. In October 2000, the Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA) Istanbul, Turkey, presented IRCICA Award for Patronage in Preservation of Cultural Heritage & Promotion of Scholarship to Hakeem Saheb posthumously.