Mir Mohsin Ali
Hyderabad- With the tragic death of Zaheeruddin Ali Khan due to cardiac arrest yesterday, the community lost a great philanthropist and defender of social justice. More than his association with Siasat Urdu daily as a journalist, he was known for his committed social service. He was a well-known activist for over three decades, involved in social, educational and welfare activities.
“Siasat Millat Fund” “Minority Development Forum” and “Abid Ali Khan Trust” were the initiatives of Siasat daily. Through these platforms he took up various activities for the welfare of underprivileged people. He reportedly donated Rs. 4 Crore to over 22,000 underprivileged students from Bihar, Gujarat, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and other states.
Zaheer Saab as he is known among the people, took up several initiatives in 1994 under the Abid Ali Khan trust for educational upliftment and wellbeing of underprivileged sections of the society.
In 1997, he established a minority development forum to help the needy living in slum areas, and tied up with corporate hospitals to help slum dwellers get free healthcare.
In the same year, he also introduced vocational training courses in tailoring, embroidery etc. for underprivileged women.
Through spoken English classes initiated by him 1800 youngsters secured jobs in various MNCs in 2002.
He also set up Sukoon, an old-age home, in Vikarabad.
In 2007, he started an organization to ensure dowry-free marriages, under which more than 7,000 weddings were solemnized.
Moreover, he was actively involved in lending assistance to people during the Covid-19 pandemic.
As a service to the community, Khan also organized burials of unclaimed bodies of Muslims in Hyderabad.
He was actively involved in arranging “Doo Ba Doo” program in various parts of Hyderabad. Hundreds of parents used to attend this seeking matrimonial proposals for their children.
He was very active in Urdu examinations conducted by Abid Ali Khan Trust and used to personally visit various exam centers.
He would actively work for mobilizing help for victims of Hindutva assault and mob lynchings.
As the news of Zaheer Saab’s death spread Monday evening, condolence messages started pouring in.
In his condolence message Telangana CM K Chandrashekhar Rao said that it was an irreparable loss to Urdu journalism. He recollected his association with Zaheeruddin Ali Khan and the latter’s role during the Telangana movement. Rao conveyed his deepest condolences to the bereaved family members.
Others who have condoled Khan’s death are home minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali, municipal administration minister K.T. Rama Rao, Telangana Congress president A. Revanth Reddy, Bandaru Dattatreya, Mohammed Ali Shabbir
AIMIM president and MP Hyderabad Asaduddin Owaisi, Congress leader Feroz Khan, MLC Farooq Hussain, BJP Minority observer Ali Al Guthmi, prominent journalists from various print and electronic media houses attended the funeral prayer at Shahi Masjid, Public Garden in Hyderabad.