Shri M. Hamid Ansari, Vice President of India & President IIPA (2007-2017)
Mohammad Hamid Ansari (born April 1, 1937) is an Indian diplomat, academic, and politician who served as the 12th Vice President of India for two consecutive terms from 2007 to 2017. A former Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, he served as Ambassador to UAE, Afghanistan, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, and as Permanent Representative to the UN.
Early Life and Education
- Birth: Born in Calcutta (now Kolkata), West Bengal, to Mohammad Abdul Aziz Ansari and Aasiya Begum.
- Family: Hails from a distinguished political family from Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, with his grand-uncle, Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari, being a former Congress president.
- Education: Educated at St. Edward's School, Shimla, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata, and completed his MA in Political Science from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).
Diplomatic and Academic Career
- IFS Officer: Joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1961, serving for nearly four decades.
- Ambassadorial Postings: Served as India's Ambassador to the UAE (1976–1979), Afghanistan (1989–1990), Iran (1990–1992), and Saudi Arabia (1995–1999).
- UN Representative: Served as India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York (1993–1995).
- Academic Roles: Acted as Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University (2000–2002) and held positions at Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jamia Millia Islamia.
Political Career
- Minorities Commission: Served as the Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities before becoming Vice President.
- Vice President of India (2007–2017): Elected as the 12th Vice President in 2007 and re-elected in 2012, making him the first to hold the office for two consecutive terms since Dr. S. Radhakrishnan.
- Rajya Sabha Chairman: As Vice President, he was the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, becoming the longest-serving chairperson of the house.
Personal Life and Awards
- Family: Married to Salma Ansari; they have two sons and one daughter.
- Awards: Awarded the Padma Shri in 1984.
- Authorship: Wrote Travelling Through Conflict: Essays on the Politics of West Asia (2008) and edited Iran Today: Twenty Five Years After the Islamic Revolution (2005). His memoir, By Many a Happy Accident: Recollections of a Life, was published in 2021.
