Syed Mahmud

Syed Mahmud (1889–1971) was an Indian politician and senior leader in the Indian National Congress during the Indian independence movement and in post-independence India.

He was a member of the foundation committee of Jamia Millia Islamia.

Early life Syed Mahmud was born in Syedpur Bhitari, Ghazipur district of India. He was educated at the Aligarh Muslim University. During his time at the university, Mahmud became involved in student political activities and attended the 1905 session of the Indian National Congress, the largest Indian nationalist organisation in what was then British-ruled India. Initially he implied that he didn't know why he had been freed. Then the British authorities released to the press a letter that he had written to the Viceroy of India. In the letter Mahmud denied participating in the passage of the Quit India Resolution. His colleagues, who would remain imprisoned until May 1945, felt angry and betrayed. Mahmud met with Gandhi, and afterwards apologized for writing the letter and letting down his friends and the movement. Mahmud's standing with Indian nationalists improved over the succeeding years. He was one of the secular Muslim leaders who opposed the Muslim League's demand for the creation of a separate Muslim state of Pakistan, and worked with other Indian leaders against the resulting communal violence between Muslims and Hindus in Bihar and other parts of India.

Post-independence During 1946–52, Syed Mahmud was the Minister for Transport, Industries and Agriculture in Bihar. In 1949 he suggested Nehru to enter into a particular military pact with Pakistan in order to safeguard the nation from China which could not materialize. Pained with communal partition of India, an optimist in him motivated him to write another book Hindu Muslim Accord (1949), celebrating the `Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb of India'. From 7 December 1954 to 17 April 1957 he was the Union Minister of State for External Affairs but resigned due to eye troubles. He participated in the historic Bandung Conference (1955), where the Panchsheel was spelled out. He played remarkable roles in India's useful diplomatic relations with the Gulf countries, Iran and Egypt.

After India's independence, Syed Mahmud was elected to the first Lok Sabha (lower house of the Indian Parliament) from the constituency of Champaran-East in Bihar and second Lok Sabha from the constituency of Gopalganj in Bihar. He served as the deputy Minister of External Affairs between 1954 and 1957 and represented India at the Bandung Conference.