Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was born on 13th May 1905, at the Hauz Qazi area of Old Delhi, India. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and always lived in luxury.
His father, Col. Zalnur Ali Ahmed, was the first Assamese person, and the first person from northeast India to have an MD (Doctor of Medicine) degree. His mother was a daughter of the Nawab of Loharu. Ahmed’s grandfather, Khaliluddin All Ahmed, was from Kacharighat near Golaghat, Assam, and hailed from a well-known Assamese family.
Ahmed was educated at the Government High School in Gonda district, United Provinces, and matriculated from the Delhi Government High School. He attended St. Stephen’s College and St. Catharine’s College, Cambridge, and subsequently became an active member of the Congress Party.
Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was picked for the presidency by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Thus, in 1974, he became the second Muslim to be elected President.
Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed is known to have issued the proclamation of the Emergency by signing the papers at midnight during Indira Gandhi’s tenure as the Prime Minister.
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