Syed Zafar Mahmood, PhD
President, Zakat Foundation of India
EDUCATION:
- Indian Civil Services (1977 batch, inducted in to Indian Revenue Service)
- Ph.D. (Public Administration)
- M.A. (Political Science) - Gold Medallist
- B.Sc. (Honours) Physics
All degrees awarded by Aligarh Muslim University (India).
GOVERNMENT POSITIONS:
Prime Minister's Office - Sachar Report
Officer of Special Duty, High Level Committee on Social, Economical & Educational status of India's Muslim Community.
2005-2006
- Full report download here >
- Report tabled in Parliament on 30 Nov 2006. Accepted by the Central Government through Cabinet decision and now under implementation.
- Cabinet notes on constitution of Equal Opportunity Commission and for evolving Incentives based on Diversity Index have been submitted.
- Instructions have been issued for opening bank branches in minority areas, guidelines have been issues for improving minority representation in government and public sector
- National data bank has been set up in Ministry of Statistics & Program Implementation.
- Assessment & Monitoring Authority has been set up under Planning Commission.
- 13 universities have been provided funds to study social exclusion and inclusive policy for minorities and scheduled castes and tribes.
Indian Consulate - Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
First Secretary/Consul Haj & Director of Indian International Schools in Saudi Arabia (1988-91)
- Opened new Indian schools in five Saudi cities. Expanded and streamlined existing schools.
- Conceived and pioneered the new Indian School in Jeddah for 10,000 students.
- Computerized/streamlined Indian Haj Management in Saudi Arabia.
- Introduced a consolidated and intertwined Annual Haj Plan for the Ministries of External Affairs, Civil Aviation and Health, Central Haj Committee in Mumbai, State Haj Committees, Indian Consulate in Jeddah and Indian Haj Offices in the Holy Cities and Jeddah Airport.
- Persuaded Saudi authorities to accept pilgrims' compulsory dues in consolidated form from the Indian mission; this saved hours of troublesome wait by tens of thousands of Indian pilgrims at Saudi arrival terminals.
- Introduced Prearranged Accommodation Scheme preempting exploitation of Indian pilgrims in the Kingdom.
- Pilgrims' sea journey discontinued as it was uneconomical, unhealthy and wrought with possibilities of prohibited cargo.
HONORARY POSITIONS:
Member of Court (equivalent to Board of Trustees), Integral University
Lucknow, Utter Pradesh. 2008 onwards.
President, Zakat Foundation of India
- Hundreds of very poor children sponsored and educated in different educational institutions with hostel facility.
- Candidates helped in filling application forms for jobs and coached.
- Established ZAKAT HOUSE in Delhi with ZFI office, hospital, old age home and coaching centre.
- Running Happy Home & Fatima Care for poor / orphaned children.
- Mercy Home (India) for poor patients.
- Seriously ill patients are got treated at reputed hospitals bearing full expenses like kidney / liver transplant, months of dialysis, implantation of steel rod, etc.
- Providing monthly stipend to widows and other indigent women / men.
- Helping families stand on their feet and become self-employed.
- Getting poor girls married, paying poor students' educational fees.
- ZFI Team visited Gujarat disturbed districts, Tsunami affected areas, Kashmir earthquake, West Bengal death cases due to poverty, provided medical assistance and financed people to restart their life on firm footing.
President, Interfaith Coalition for Peace
- Web site: www.icpindia.org
- ICP believes in a common destiny of mankind based on love and peaceful coexistence. It has dedicated itself to chisel a family across the world that honors the sovereignty of God, respects human dignity, honors the feelings and opinions of different communities, upholds their religious and human rights and promotes justice, peace and mutual respect.
- ICP works with the civil society, NGOs, autonomous institutions. It joins hands with the religious and faith groups and cooperates in creating and nurturing an atmosphere of trust and understanding.
Chairman, God's Grace Group of Educational Institutions
- Web site: www.icpindia.org
- Community College under IG National Open University
- Study Centre for professional courses under Hamdard University
- 9 month Java/eCommerce NIIT Course for poor students and job placement.
- Run Coaching Centres with city tutors for Secondary / Sr Secondary students (subsidized under Upward Bound Scheme).
Represented India at several international conferences/projects as an Indian Muslim Scholar
- 2004-2006: Two phases (3-4 wks each) international project titled "Islamic LIfe in US" organized by American Department of State.
- 2005: First International Consultation of Muslim Scholars, Islamabad.
- 2006: Interfaith Conventions organized at Oslo and London.
- 2007: International Charity Convention, Hyderabad, India.
- 2007: Partnership of Civilizations, St. Petersburg, Russia..
- 2007: Global Minorities Meet, New Delhi.
- 2008: South Asian Consultations on Peace Building in religions, New Delhi
- 2009: Parliament of World Religions
- Organized numerous interfaith Bridge Building Sessions in India in collaboration with various communities.
Honorary Trustee/Treasurer/Dy. Director General, India Islamic Cultural Center
1993-2003
- Collected funds from central/state Govts., companies and professionals and built the structure.
Organized All India Seminar on 'Islam for Peace'
- Addressed Mr. I. K. Gujral, Former Prime Minister
- Besides annual Jashn-e-Milad-un-Nabi, Eid Milan, Lectures of topical interest and Diwali / Christmas functions for national harmony. Established Task Force on Employment and Training facilitating interaction between job seekers and officials of Govt. organizations providing technical training.
Publications, Panel Discussions and Addresses in India and abroad
Published articles in leading national newspapers / magazines regarding the readers' enlightenment. Participated in panel discussions on welfare topics on many TV channels. At Government request organized programs on Eid and Haj which were telecast at prime time. Addressed AMU educational meets AMU alumni in 13 states of India and ten countries including USA, UK, Germany, France, Belgium, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Qatar, Oman, Pakistan, UAE.
Edited University Magazine at AMU.
Rendered and published English version of Urdu poet Iqbal's poems including
"Message of Peace" and "Adam's Travelogue".
