A.K.A. Abdul Samad (4 October 1926 – 4 November 1999) was a prominent Tamil politician, and an important leader of the Indian Union Muslim League. He was also a journalist, editor, author, educationist and businessman. He is popularly known in his native states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala by the title "Siraj-ul-Millat" (Light of the Nation).
Association with political parties
All India General Secretary, Indian Union Muslim League
State President (Tamil Nadu), Indian Union Muslim League
Political career
MP, Ninth Lok Sabha, 1989–91 (affiliated with Indian National Congress, serving Vellore, TN) MP, Seventh Lok Sabha, 1980–84 (Independent, serving Vellore, TN) MLA, Legislative Assembly, Tamil Nadu, 1984–88 (affiliated with Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam serving Triplicane, Chennai) MP, Rajya Sabha, 1964–76
Government experience
Member, Public Accounts Committee, Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, 1985–86
Member, Public Accounts Committee, Rajya Sabha
Member, Committee on Absence of Members from the Sittings of the House and Committee on Petitions, 7th Lok Sabha Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Rajya Sabha Member, Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Rajya Sabha Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Industry, 1990
Delegation to foreign countries
Member, IPD to Yugoslavia, 1971
Member, Govt. of India's Haj Delegation, 1971 and 1989
Memberships
Syndicate Member, Madras University
Senate Member, Annamalai University
Court Member, Aligarh Muslim University
President, Muslim Educational Association of South India (MEASI) Chairman, Board of Islamic Studies, Madras University
Publications
Sweet Memories of Sacred Haj (Tamil) 'Narpaniyatri Nabi Mani' (Muhammad's Biography in Tamil) 'An Introduction to Holy Quran' (Tamil) Founder-Editor, Mani Chudar (Tamil Daily) Founder-Editor, Mani Vilakkur (Tamil Monthly) Publisher, Crescent (English Weekly)
Social activities
Amelioration of the down-trodden
Communal harmony
Spread of higher education amongst Muslim minorities
External links
https://web.archive.org/web/20120223184105/http://164.100.47.132/LssNew/biodata_1_12/2653.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20120626010449/http://www.indianunionmuslimleague.in/ https://web.archive.org/web/20160304055815/http://parliamentofindia.nic.in/lsdeb/ls12/ses4/01210499.htm