- Title / Office:
- vice president (2007-), India
- Political Affiliation:
- Indian National Congress
Mohammad Hamid Ansari
-
Who is Mohammad Hamid Ansari?
Mohammad Hamid Ansari, born in Calcutta, India, on April 1, 1937, is an Indian diplomat, politician, educator, and writer. He served as the vice president of India from 2007 to 2017.
After earning degrees in political science from Aligarh Muslim University, Ansari joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1961, where he served for nearly four decades. He held ambassadorial positions in the United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, and was high commissioner to Australia. He also served as permanent representative to the United Nations.
Before becoming vice president, Ansari held academic positions such as vice chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University. In 2007, he was elected Vice President of India and won a second term in 2012. Ansari is known for his expertise in Middle Eastern affairs, particularly the Palestinian issue, and has authored books such as Travelling Through Conflict: Essays on the Politics of West Asia.
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What position did Mohammad Hamid Ansari hold in India?
Mohammad Hamid Ansari was the vice president of India from 2007 to 2017. In this role, he also served as the ex officio chair of the Rajya Sabha, receiving a salary specifically for that function. In addition to his political duties, Ansari held academic positions, including vice chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, and served on various government committees. He is also known for his expertise in Middle Eastern affairs, particularly the Palestinian issue, and has written extensively on the subject.
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When did Mohammad Hamid Ansari serve as Vice President of India?
Mohammad Hamid Ansari served as the Vice President of India for two terms, from 2007 to 2017. He was elected to the office in 2007 as the candidate of the Indian National Congress (Congress Party)-led United Progressive Alliance, and he won his second term in 2012. During his time as vice president, Ansari served under three presidents.
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What are the main duties of the Vice President of India?
The vice president of India is the deputy to the head of state president. The vice president's primary duty is to act as the ex officio chair of the Rajya Sabha (Council of States), India’s upper house of Parliament.
In the event of the president's death, resignation, removal, or illness, the vice president assumes all presidential duties. While serving as acting president, the vice president cannot participate in the Rajya Sabha or receive any benefits related to that role. The deputy chair of the Rajya Sabha then takes over as chair until the vice president returns.
Additionally, the vice president serves as ex officio chancellor of the University of Delhi and Panjab University, as well as president or chair of various government committees.
Mohammad Hamid Ansari served as vice president of India for two terms (2007-2017).
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What was Mohammad Hamid Ansari's career before becoming Vice President?
Before becoming Vice President of India in 2007, Mohammad Hamid Ansari had a long and distinguished career in the Indian Foreign Service, beginning in 1961. He served in various countries, including as ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (1976–79), Afghanistan (1989–90), Iran (1990–92), and Saudi Arabia (1995–99), as well as high commissioner to Australia (1985–89) and permanent representative to the United Nations (1993–95). Between foreign postings, Ansari was chief of protocol for the Indian government from 1980 to 1985. After retiring from the foreign service, Ansari took on academic positions, such as vice chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University (2000–02) and visiting professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University (1999–2000) and Jamia Millia Islamia (2003–05).
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How did Mohammad Hamid Ansari contribute to Indian politics and diplomacy during his tenure?
Mohammad Hamid Ansari, born in 1937, served as India's Vice President from 2007 to 2017. A veteran of the Indian Foreign Service, he held ambassadorial positions in countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, and also served as high commissioner to Australia.
During his vice presidency, Ansari advocated for compensating victims of the 2002 Gujarat riots and pushed for reviews of relief efforts for riot victims since 1984. He publicly voiced his opinions, such as denouncing Pope Benedict XVI's comments on "jihad" as anti-Islamic in 2006. Ansari also questioned India's vote against Iran's nuclear program in the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2005, citing a lack of factual support for the government's position. He is also known as a scholar of the Middle East, particularly the Palestinian issue.
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Mohammad Hamid Ansari (born April 1, 1937, Calcutta [now Kolkata], India) is an Indian diplomat, politician, educator, and writer who served as vice president of India (2007–17).
Ansari, who was born to a wealthy Muslim family, completed B.A. and M.A. degrees in political science from Aligarh Muslim University in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. In 1961 he entered the Indian Foreign Service, where he served for nearly four decades. After postings to several countries over some 15 years (Iraq, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and Belgium), Ansari was named ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (1976–79). He also served as ambassador to Afghanistan (1989–90), Iran (1990–92), and Saudi Arabia (1995–99), as well as high commissioner to Australia (1985–89) and permanent representative to the United Nations (1993–95). In between those foreign postings, he was the chief of protocol for the Indian government in 1980–85.
Upon his retirement from the foreign service, Ansari was named to academic positions, including vice chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University (2000–02) and visiting professor at two New Delhi schools—Jawaharlal Nehru University (1999–2000) and Jamia Millia Islamia (2003–05). He also worked for a private think tank and served on several government commissions and committees.
In 2007 Ansari became the Indian National Congress (Congress Party)-led United Progressive Alliance’s vice presidential candidate and defeated his closest opponent, Najma Heptuallah of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-headed National Democratic Alliance (NDA), by securing 455 votes in an electoral college of 788. In 2012 he was again chosen to contest the post, after the Congress Party passed over him in favour of Pranab Mukherjee as its presidential candidate. He defeated the NDA’s Jaswant Singh by a margin of 252 votes to win his second term. Ansari left office in 2017.
Ansari’s tenure was largely noncontroversial. He became known for his role in ensuring compensation to the victims of communal riots in Gujarat state in 2002, and he subsequently pushed for a complete review of relief and rehabilitation efforts for all riot victims in India since 1984. On occasion he articulated strong views in public. In 2006, while serving as chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, he denounced as anti-Islamic the comments made by Pope Benedict XVI in which the pontiff used the terms “jihad” and “holy war.” Earlier, in 2005, Ansari had questioned India’s vote against Iran’s nuclear program in the International Atomic Energy Agency, stating that the Indian government’s position was not supported by the facts.
With his many years of diplomatic postings in the Middle East, Ansari developed a reputation as a scholar of that region. He wrote in particular on the Palestinian issue. He is the author of Travelling Through Conflict: Essays on the Politics of West Asia (2008) and the editor of Iran Today: Twenty Five Years After the Islamic Revolution (2005).