Abdul Qaiyum Ansari, who fought not only for independence but also against social and economic inequalities, was born on 1 July 1905 in Dehri village, Shahabad district in Bihar. His father Munshi Abdul Haq was a businessman and his mother was Safia Begum.
Ansari entered into the Khilafat and Non-Cooperation Movement under the influence of the Ali brothers, when he was in high school. At the tender age of 15 years, he was appointed general secretary of the All India Khilafat Committee and attended the Indian National Congress sessions at Calcutta as a representative of the Shahabad district.
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The British government branded him ‘dangerous’ and arrested him in 1922. Later, on several occasions, he spent several years behind the bars. He was very much committed to the agitational programmes of the Indian National Congress for which he was applauded by the people. Abdul Qaiyum Ansari campaigned against the divisive ideology of the All-India Muslim League.
He explained to the people that the division of the nation would only benefit the wealthy, capitalists, landlords, aristocratic groups and selfish politicians.
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He was elected to the Bihar Assembly after Independence and became a minister. Despite the defeat in the 1952 elections, he won in 1962 and 1967. He held many different ministerial posts. And irrespective of the posts he held, he took a special interest in the backward classes. Abdul Qaiyum Ansari tried to address the Momin issues by forming various organizations.
He also worked for the development of Urdu. In this process, he started magazines like ‘Al Islah’, ‘Maswat’ and ‘Tahzib’ etc. Ansari, had a special interest in the development of education.
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He worked as a member of the senate in Patna University from 1940 to 1957 and member of the board of Aligarh Muslim University from 1951-52.
He was elected to Rajyasabha in 1970. Inspite of his busy political and academic activities, he was very much fond of rearing animals and birds. He also worked as the chairman of the Zoological Society of Bihar for a pretty long period.
Abdul Qaiyum Ansari dedicated his life for the Indian freedom struggle and social work. He breathed his last on 18 January 1973.
