Mehmood-ur Rehman

Mehmood-ur Rehman is an Indian civil servant, best known as the chairman of the 2008 Committee on Socio-Economic Backwardness of Muslims in Maharashtra.^[1] He graduated in Law in 1962 and secured a master's degree in Persian from Allahabad University before joining the Uttar Pradesh civil services in 1965.^[2] A year later, he was selected to the Indian Administrative Service and served as the Assistant Commissioner in Anantnag District, Jammu and Kashmir during 1967–68. He also served as Sub Divisional Magistrate, Deputy Planning Secretary, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, Development Commissioner, Ladakh and Agriculture Commissioner and Secretary. During his tenure as the Development Commissioner of Ladakh, he is reported to have introduced the Karakul sheep to the region.^[2] When the Vilas Rao Deshmukh ministry of Maharashtra decided to set up a committee to propose recommendations for the betterment of the socio-economic and educational conditions of the Muslim community, Rehman was selected to chair the committee.^[3] The committee stressed the social and educational backwardness of the Muslims^[4] and, after 16 months, submitted its report proposing 8 percent reservation for the community.^[5] His contributions are also reported behind the establishment of the Jammu and Kashmir Agriculture University and the Horticulture Processing and Marketing Corporation (HPMC).^[2] The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian award of the Padma Shri, in 1991.^[6]

References