Zahoor Qasim

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Padma Bhushan Syed Zahoor Qasim (born December 31, 1926 in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India) is one of India's leading marine scientists. Qasim is known as the man who lead India's maiden exploration to Antarctica and successfully organized and guided the other seven expeditions to the frozen continent from 1981 to 1988.

He was Member of Planning Commission of India from 1991-1996. Qasim is Honorary Professor of many universities, including Aligarh Muslim University, Madurai Kamraj University, Anna Malai University, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Jamia Millia Islamia.

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[edit] Early life and education

Qasim did his schooling from Majidiya Islamiya Intermediate College Allahabad, and then moved to Aligarh Muslim University, where he obtained a B.Sc. degree in 1949 and an M.Sc. degree in Zoology in 1951. He stood first in the order of Merit for which he was awarded University Gold Medal. For a few years, he was a lecturer in the Department of Zoology at Aligarh before proceeding to the United Kingdom for higher studies in 1953. In 1956 he completed his D.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from University College of North Wales (UK).

[edit] Career

  • 1951-53: Lecturer, Department of Zoology, AMU Aligarh
  • 1957: Reader, Department of Zoology, AMU Aligarh
  • 1962-64: Professor, Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Bombay
  • 1964:Assistant Director, The Directorate of International Indian Ocean Expedition (IIOE) under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
  • 1970-73:Director, Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute at Cochin
  • 1974: Director, National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Goa
  • 1976: Fellow, Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore
  • 1977: Fellow of Indian National Science Academy New Delhi, Fellow of Indian National Science Academy Bangalore
  • 1976-80: Chairman of Working Committee of Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.
  • 1981: Secretary, Department of Environment (DOE), Government of India
  • 1981: Leader of India's First Expedition to the Antarctica.
  • 1982: Founding Secretary, Department of Ocean Development
  • 1989-91: Vice-Chancellor, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. Chairman, Society for Indian Ocean Studies. Chairman, World Environment Foundation.
  • 1991-96: Member, Planning Commission of India
  • 1995 : Member, Dr. D. Swaminadhan Research Foundation (DSRF)
  • 2003 : Fellow, Third World Academy of Sciences. Honorary Fellow, Muslim Association for the Advancement of Science, Aligarh. Honorary Member, Asian Fisheries Society.

[edit] Honors

  • 1974: Padma Shri
  • 1975: Chandra Hora Memorial Medal
  • 1975: Golden Jubilee Trust Gold Medal
  • 1982: Padma Bhushan
  • F.I.E. Award

[edit] Books Authored

  • The Indian Ocean: Images and Realities
  • Indian Estuaries
  • Biodiversity of Mangrove Ecosystems
  • Living Resources of India's Exclusive Economic Zone
  • Glimpses of the Indian Ocean
  • India's Exclusive Economic Zone: Resources, Exploitation, Management

[edit] Family

His father's name is Mr Syed Zamir Qasim. His wife is Nawabzadi Begum Sahiba of Rampur, from the royal family of Nawabs of Rampur. They are blessed with three daughters. He lives in Delhi.