Professor Israr Ahmad, Ex-Chairman Department of Physics, Aligarh Muslim University, breathed his last on April 2 at Holy Family Hospital, New Delhi. His body was taken to Aligarh. He was 70.
Born at Village Mahuwara, District Azamgarh (U.P.) on December 19, 1940, Israr Ahmad passed High School examination in 1955 and was a student at Shibli National Degree College, Azamgarh during 1955-1959 from where he passed Intermediate and B.Sc. Examinations. He earned the Gold Medal of the Gorakhpur University in 1959 for standing first at the B.Sc. examination. From Azamgarh he came to Aligarh and obtained M.Sc. degree in Physics in 1961. He was awarded the F.D. Murad Medal for standing first at the M.Sc. examinations. He started his Ph.D. under supervision of Prof. Mohd. Zillur Rahman Khan but submitted it as a Teacher candidate in 1969. Thus he emerged as a renowned Quantum Scattering Theory scientist. He had been a professor at Aligarh Muslim University since 1961, and served as Chairman of Department of Physics AMU from 1988 to 1991. Dr. Ahmad has worked on Theoretical Nuclear Physics and Quantum Scattering Theory. He was an associate member of the International Centre for Theoretical Physics located in Trieste (Italy) headed by the late Nobel Laureate, Dr. Abdus Salam. He was a member of the New York Academy of Sciences and as well as the Indian Physics Association. He was Founding Director of Centre for Promotion of Science AMU since its inception in 1985 to 1991. He was also Editor of monthly Urdu journal Tahzibul Akhlaq of AMU from June 1986 to 1990. He had also served as Professor at King Abdul Aziz University in Saudi Arabia, where he also worked on a consultative panel formed by Islamic Development Bank to review and advise on a plan for education of Muslims in India.
Professor Israr Ahmad was laid to rest on April 3. A condolence meeting was held on April 4 in the Department of Physics, AMU. A large number of teachers and students participated in this meeting.
A resolution adopted at the condolence meeting said inter alia: “He made immense contribution to knowledge in Physics and published a large number of research papers in International Journals of repute. He supervised nine students for M.Phil. and six for Ph.D. degrees in Physics.
“With his huge commitments to research and teaching, he felt his responsibilities towards the society in general and promotion of science in particular. Thus he took over the responsibilities of Editor, Tahzibul Akhlaq in June 1986 and made it a viable magazine of its kind. He served as its Editor till 1990. This was a really challenging job for a person trained in the discipline of science.
“Also with support from Prof. Abdus Salam he established the Centre for Promotion of Science (CPS) at AMU in 1985 and was appointed its Founder Director. He served the CPS till 1991 with a missionary zeal. Prof. Abdus Slam visited the Centre in 1989. The Centre is playing a key role to bridge the gap between the Madrasas and the modern education.”