Ahmad Ashfaque Karim

Ahmad Ashfaque Karim (born 12 March 1956) is an Indian teacher, social worker and politician. He is a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha of the Indian Parliament from Rashtriya Janata Dal.[1] He is the founder Chairman of Al-Karim Educational Trust, Patna, Bihar; founder Chancellor of Al-Karim University, Katihar, Bihar; and founder Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Katihar Medical College, Katihar, Bihar.[2]

Ahmad Ashfaque Karim
MP of Rajya Sabha for Bihar
Assumed office
3 April 2018
ConstituencyBihar
Personal details
Born12 March 1956
NationalityIndian
Political partyRashtriya Janata Dal
Alma materBihar College of Pharmacy
ProfessionChancellor, Al-Karim University, Katihar; Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Katihar Medical College, Katihar.

Since the inception of Katihar Medical College, Karim has been actively involved in social work such as flood relief work for the poor and the needy. Katihar Medical College, which houses a 590-bed teaching hospital, provides free medical treatment to all for services such as surgery, bed and dietary. Registration fee is also minimal, which was Rs. 2 and was increased to Rs. 5 from 1 January 2018. Charges for diagnostic services are kept as low as possible. Katihar Medical College often provides treatment to the ailing through health camps.

Karim established and led Kosi Bedari Morcha to raise the demand for special status for Bihar's eight districts in Kosi region which is one of the most backward regions in India. He held rallies across many regions of Bihar to press the government for the same.[3]

Early life and education

Karim was born to Haji Ahmad Karim Rahmani, an agriculturist, and Bibi Barira Khatoon, a homemaker, on 12 March 1956, in Chakjado, Vaishali (erstwhile Muzaffarpur), Bihar.

He completed his matriculation in 1975 from A.K.H.E. School, Bharthipur, located close to his native village: Tainda, Chakjado, Vaishali, Bihar. He completed I.Sc. in 1977 from Millat College, Darbhanga, a constituent unit of L.N.Mithila University, Bihar wherein he was an active participant in debates and dramas. He also represented the university as a NSS volunteer at Utkal University, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha (erstwhile Orissa) wherein he was awarded the best NSS Volunteer award by Youth Welfare Officer, Government of Odisha (erstwhile Orissa).

He graduated in Bachelor of Pharmacy from Bihar College of Pharmacy, Bihar wherein he was the first student of the first batch. He graduated in Master of Pharmaceutical Science from the same college. He continued his studies to Ph.D. wherein his thesis was titled “Biochemical profile of oxovanadium (IV & V) complexes”.

He conceptualised the idea of establishing a medical college during his college days at the age of 27, and since then he began working toward establishing a medical college in Bihar. In accordance with the recommendation of Sunil Mukherjee Committee & Mudaliar Committee, constituted during the era of the then Chief Minister of Bihar, that a medical college be established in Katihar or Nalanda Medical College be shifted from Patna to Katihar, Karim established Katihar Medical College at the age of 31. Notably, the location of the college was chosen Katihar, as it is among the most backward regions of Bihar, to serve the poor and the needy and for upliftment of the region.

Political career

Active in politics since his college days, Karim, in 1984, was elected to the post of Secretary in Yuva Janata of Janata Party during the era of the then President Chandra Shekhar and Youth President Subodh Kant Sahay.

In 1985, before the centenary of Indian National Congress, he joined it, and in 2000, he was elected to the post of Treasurer in the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee.

In 2003, he was elected to the post of General Secretary in the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee.

He served as a member of All India Congress Committee for the term beginning 2001 and 2004.

Soon after joining Lok Janshakti Party in 2009, he rose to become National Vice President of Lok Janshakti Party. He contested the 2009 Indian general elections from Katihar constituency of Bihar.

In 2018, he was elected to Rajya Sabha as a Member of Parliament by Rashtriya Janata Dal.

Positions held
  • Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, 2018 till date.
  • Chairman, Al-Karim Educational Trust, Patna, Bihar, 1986 till date.
  • Chancellor, Al-Karim University, Katihar, Bihar, 2018 till date.
  • Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Katihar Medical College, Katihar, Bihar 1987, till date.
  • Member, Standing Committee on Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS), 2018 till date.
  • Member, Standing Committee on Chemicals and Fertilizers, 2019 till date.
  • Member, Consultative Committee for Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, 2019 till date.
  • Member, All India Muslim Personal Law Board, 1997 till date.
  • Member, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, Bihar, 2006 till date.
  • Former Member, Standing Committee on Water Resources, 2018-2019.
  • Former Member, Consultative Committee for Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 2018-2019.
  • Former National Vice President, Lok Janshakti Party.
  • Former Working President, Anjuman Taraqqui-e-Urdu, Bihar.
  • Former Member, All India Congress Committee (two terms beginning 2001 and 2004).
  • Former General Secretary, Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee.
  • Former Treasurer, Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee.
  • Former Member of Senate, B.N Mandal University, Madhepura, Bihar (one term).
  • Former Member of Syndicate, B.N Mandal University, Madhepura, Bihar (two terms).
  • Former Member, All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat.
  • Former Secretary, Yuva Janata of Janata Party.

References
  1. IANS (2018-04-03). "41 newly elected Rajya Sabha members take oath". Business Standard India. Retrieved 2018-04-13.
  2. "Welcome to Katihar Medical College". kmckatihar.org. Retrieved 2018-04-13.
  3. "The Kosi Bedari Morcha, an outfit raising the demand for special status to Bihar's eight districts in Kosi region, will hold a rally at Purnia on Wednesday to press the state government over its demands for the development of this comparatively backward region, said Morcha president Ahmad Ashfaq Karim. - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2018-04-13.
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