Biography
A Chronological Biography of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
– Rahat Abrar
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan (1817 – 1898) was one of the architects of modern India. He was one of those early pioneers who recognized the critical role of education in the empowerment of the poor and backward Muslim community. In more than one way, Sir Syed was one of the greatest social reformers and a great national builder of modern India.
17 October 1817
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was born in the Haveli of his Nana Khwaja Fariduddin, Sarai Behram Baig in Delhi (then Capital of Mughal Sultanate). Now this road is named Sir Syed Road after him.
9 February 1822
Rasm-e-Bismillah by Shah Ghulam Ali
1836
Marriage at the age of 19 years to Parsa Begum
1838
Death of his father Syed Mohammad Muttaqi
1839
Appointed as Naib Munshi, Agra
10 January 1842
Transferred from Mainpuri to Fatehpur Sikri. Received the title of Jawad-ud Daula Arif Jung from the last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar
24 Dec 1845
Death of his elder brother,
Syed Muhammad
18 Feb 1846
Transferred to Delhi
16 Feb 1849
Birth of his elder son, Syed Hamid (Worked as Superintendent of Police)
24 May 1850
Birth of his younger son, Syed Mahmood (Worked as Judge of Allahabad High Court)
13 Jan 1855
Appointed as Sadr-e Ameen, Bijnor
19 Nov 1857
Death of his mother, Aziz-un Nisa, at Meerut
1 April 1858
Appointed as Sadr-us-Sudur, Moradabad
1860
Birth of his daughter, Amina
1861
Death of his wife, Parsa Begam, burried at Shaukat Bagh, Moradabad
12 May 1862
Transferred to Ghazipur
6 Oct 1863
Attended programme of “Muhammadan Literary Society” in Calcutta
1 April 1864
Transferred to Aligarh
4 July 1864
Elected honorary member of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain
20 Nov 1866
Announcement in Agra of ‘Hasan Khidmat’award to him for his services to Education
1 Jan 1867
Membership of ‘East India Association London’
11 Feb 1867
Declined to receive ‘Hasan Khidmat’ award, reason being disparity in seating of Britishers and Indians
1 Aug 1867
Sends a memorandum to the Viceroy for the establishment of a vernacular University
15 Aug 1867
Transferred to Banaras and promoted as Judge of ‘Small Causes Court’
1 April 1869
Leaves Banaras on way to England
2 April 1869
Met Lt. Governor Sir William Muir at Allahabad
10 April 1869
Left for England from Bombay
4 May 1869
Reaches London
6 Aug 1869
Honoured with CSI (Companion Star of India) by Duke of Argyll
1870
Membership of Athenaeum Club of London
4 Sept 1870
Left London for India
12 Oct 1870
Reached Bombay
26 Dec 1870
Establishes the Committee for the Better Diffusion and Advancement of Learning among Muslims of India at Banaras
1873
Became Secretary of ‘Central Committee, Allahabad’ for Urdu language
October 1873
Syed Mahmood (his son) returned from England
24 May 1875
Visited Aligarh for inauguration of Madarsat-ul-Uloom
31 July 1876
Applied for pre-retirement. Rs. 400 p.m. pension after approval
25 Aug 1876
Permanently settled at Aligarh after 37 years of service
1876
Appointed as Fellow of Calcutta University by the Viceroy
8 Jan 1877
Foundation of MAO College at Aligarh by the Viceroy Lord Lytton
31 Dec 1878
Nominated as member of the Viceroy’s Legislative Council, first Muslim to be appointed
1883
The Muhammadan Civil Service Fund Association is founded
1886
Mohammadan Educational Conference is established
1887
Appointed Member of the Civil Service Commission by Lord Duffferin, Governor General of India
13 March 1888
Wedding of Sayyid Mahmood with Musharraf Jahan Begum
14 May 1888
Received KCSI (Knight of the Star of India), Establishes the Patriotic Association at Aligarh
1889
Receives the degree of LL.D. (Honoris Causa) from the University of Edinburgh
20 Dec 1894
Death of his elder son, Syed Hamid
1894
Bismillah of his grandson, Ross Masood, at Strachey Hall, Aligarh
27 March 1898
Death at 10 PM at Darul Uns (near Aligarh Public School), house of Nawab Ismail K. Shervani
28 March 1898
Ghusl in the morning. Namaz-e Janaza by Nazim-e Deenyat Maulana Abdullah Ansari at Cricket ground. Syed Mahmood did Tadfeen work which was completed after Namaz-e Asr. Buried in Jamia Masjid of the University.