08/11/2026
Dr. Iqtidar Husain Khan — Former President, AMU Students’ Union
Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilaihi Raji'un
It is with deep sorrow that we share the passing of Dr. Iqtidar Husain Khan, former Vice President and President of the Aligarh Muslim University Students' Union, who passed away on Monday, August 10, 2026, in his hometown of Shahabad, Hardoi. He was laid to rest the same day.
Dr. Iqtidar Husain Khan Sahab had been unwell for some time and was a longtime diabetic. In his later years, his health gradually declined, and he suffered a significant loss of vision.
He was a prominent and memorable figure in AMU student life during the early 1970s. In 1971, he was elected Vice President of the AMU Students' Union by a substantial margin. In the same election, Qaiser Mehmood Sahab was elected President and Arif Mohammad Khan Sahab Secretary. When Qaiser Mehmood Sahab resigned from the presidency early in the academic year, Iqtidar Husain Khan Sahab succeeded him and served as President of the Students' Union for the remainder of the term.
During his student days, he lived in a single-seater room next to the S.S. Hall canteen, across from the Faculty of Law. That room became an integral part of his AMU years and remains a cherished memory for many of his contemporaries. Later, the same room was occupied by his younger brother, Ehtasham Husain Khan, who earned his LL.B. from AMU. Sadly, Ehtasham Husain Khan passed away several years ago.
Another fondly remembered aspect of his AMU days was his close friendship with Zaka Khan Sahab. The two young, handsome gentlemen, with similarly charming and charismatic personalities, were frequently seen strolling together across the campus. Their friendship became so well known that "Iqtidar Khan–Zaka Khan" became a familiar and popular expression among students. For many Aligs of that generation, the image of the two friends together remains one of the enduring memories of campus life.
Iqtidar Khan earned his BUMS degree from AMU and, upon returning to Shahabad, joined his father in medical practice. Following his father's passing, he continued the practice independently for many years, serving the local community with dedication. As his health deteriorated and his eyesight weakened, he gradually reduced his professional commitments before eventually retiring from medical practice.
Those who knew Iqtidar Bhai will remember him as an exceptionally warm, gracious, honest, fearless, and unassuming person. He was Khush-Akhlaq and Betakalluf, blessed with a naturally charming and dignified personality. Always impeccably dressed, he carried himself with effortless elegance, and his Sherwani suited him remarkably well. Among the many distinguished personalities who graced AMU during that era, he stood out for his rare combination of courage, Sharafat, simplicity, and personal charisma.
He was also a Mast-Maula in the truest sense of the expression, a free-spirited, generous-hearted, and contented individual who lived without pretension. Allah had blessed him abundantly, and he carried those blessings with humility, grace, and gratitude.
In his younger years, he traveled extensively and thoroughly enjoyed meeting people. During the last several years of his life, however, declining health gradually confined him to his home in Shahabad.
His passing carries a particularly personal sense of loss for many of us who had the privilege of knowing him well. Although he was a close friend and contemporary of my elder brother during their AMU days, I was fortunate to receive his affection and Shafqat. Whenever an opportunity arose, I would visit him in Shahabad, inquire about his health, and seek his Duas. Those visits, conversations, and memories of his warmth and affection will always remain among my most treasured recollections.
With the passing of Iqtidar Bhai, the AMU community has lost not only a former Students' Union President but also one of the memorable personalities of a remarkable era—an era whose friendships, traditions, values, and deep attachment to Aligarh continue to live in the hearts and memories of generations of Aligs.
May Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala forgive his shortcomings, envelop him in His infinite mercy, illuminate his grave, make every stage of his journey in the Hereafter easy, and grant him the highest place in Jannatul Firdaus.
May Allah grant Sabr-e-Jameel to his bereaved family, friends, and all those who mourn his passing. Amin
Shaheer Khan
Foster City, CA
