Hyderabad, November 11: Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Wednesday presented the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad National Award to noted development economist Prof. Amirullah Khan and the Maqdoom Award to celebrated Urdu author Qamar Jamali at the National Education Day and Minorities Welfare Day celebrations in Hyderabad.
The ceremony was held at Sevalal Banjara Bhavan in Banjara Hills to mark the 138th birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, independent India’s first Education Minister. Organised jointly by the Telangana Urdu Academy and the Telangana Minorities Residential Educational Institutions Society (TMREIS), the programme centred on the theme “Taleem se Taraqqi” – Growth Through Education.
Prof. Amirullah Khan was selected for the 2026 Maulana Abul Kalam Azad National Award in recognition of his contributions to the educational and social upliftment of minorities. The national-level award carries a cash prize of ₹2.25 lakh, along with a citation, memento and shawl.
A development economist with a PhD in economics, Prof. Amirullah Khan is a member of the Telangana Public Service Commission. He also serves as a visiting professor at the Indian School of Business, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences and NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad. The Urdu Academy said his selection followed the recommendations of an expert sub-committee comprising Urdu professors, journalists, poets and scholars.
The state-level Maqdoom Award was conferred on Qamar Sultana, popularly known as Qamar Jamali, for her contribution to Urdu fiction. A retired Tahsildar, she has authored around 300 books across different literary genres. Research on her literary work has resulted in five MPhil degrees and 13 PhDs awarded by universities across the country, according to the information provided by the Academy. The award carries ₹2 lakh, a citation, memento and shawl.
The Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Award commemorates the freedom fighter and educationist’s contribution to India’s freedom struggle, education, and Urdu language and literature. The Maqdoom Award honours the legacy of revolutionary poet and freedom fighter Makhdoom Mohiuddin and recognises contributions across Urdu poetry, journalism, fiction, humour and satire, research and criticism on a rotational basis.
Minority Welfare Minister Mohammed Azharuddin, Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, Telangana Urdu Academy Chairman Taher bin Hamdan, Telangana Waqf Board Chairman Syed Khusro Pasha and TMREIS president Faheem Qureshi attended the ceremony, along with MPs, MLCs and heads of various corporations. Dr. Javed Kamal compered the programme.
By Syed Khaled Shahbaaz
