imported>TheRedReaper at 10:18, 19 February 2021

2021-02-19T10:18:03Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{more citations needed|date=December 2011}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Khwaja Ghulam Ahmad Ashai
| honorific-suffix =
| image = ashai-sahib.jpeg
| imagesize = 150px
| smallimage =
| caption =
| office = Co Founder, [[All Jammu & Kashmir Muslim Conference]]
| term_start =
| term_end =
| alongside =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| birth_date =
| birth_place = [[Srinagar]], [[Kashmir]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = [[Kashmir]]i
| party = [[All Jammu & Kashmir Muslim Conference]]
| spouse = Jana Begum
| children = Zarifa Drabu, Ghulam Kadir Ashai, Ghulam Yasin Ashai, Ayesha Jeelani, Manzoor Ashai, Khadija Khan, Tasneem Khan, Anwar Ashai, Nasreen Mattu
| residence = [[Srinagar]], [[Kashmir]]
| alma_mater = [[University of Punjab]] <br> [[University of Calcutta]]
| occupation = [[Political Figure, Educationist]]
| profession =
| signature =
| website =
| footnotes =
}}

'''Khwaja Ghulam Ahmad Ashai''' (Arabic: غولم أحمد أشي) was a Kashmiri bureaucrat and political leader.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-03-13|title=Commemorating Ghulam Ahmad Ashai|url=https://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/gk-magazine/commemorating-ghulam-ahmad-ashai/|access-date=2020-12-27|website=Greater Kashmir}}</ref> He was the grandson of Rayees-ul-Waqt Hajji Mukhthar Shah Ashai.

The 'Ashai Bagh Bridge' over Nigeen Lake and Dal Lake is named after Ashai's ancestors. Before moving to suburban Srinagar, the Ashais lived at the 'Ashai Kocha' in [[Fateh Kadal]], [[Srinagar]]. The historic Ashai mansion now hosts a Girl's high school. Ashai's hut in Raj Bagh has been converted into a hotel. Popularly known as ''Ashai Sahib'' by his colleagues, political contemporaries and subordinates, Ghulam Ahmad Ashai was the first Kashmiri [[Muslim]] to attain a bachelor's degree.{{Citation needed|date=November 2013}}

In reward for his service and academic achievements, [[Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah]] appointed Ghulam Ahmad Ashai as the first Registrar of the University of Kashmir, both for academic and administrative matters, from 1948 to 1953. He led the first convocation of the University of Kashmir at Sher-e-Kashmir (Lion of Kashmir) Park and was followed by a distinguished panel including the first Prime Minister of India, [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] and the Pro-Indian [[Sheikh Abdullah]]. Ashai's involvement with Kashmir University started when he was appointed as the Special Officer assigned with the responsibility of starting Kashmir's first university. Ashai spent the next two years touring universities across India building up strategic ties and relations with renowned and established universities.

[[File:Ashaiconvocation.jpg|left|1951 – The first Convocation procession of the University of Jammu & Kashmir led by Ashai, the Registrar. He is followed by the Vice Chancellor, Wazir Janki Nath (Chief Justice), Sheikh Abdullah (Prime Minister of J&K), Pandit Nehru (Prime Minister of India), C. Rajagopalachari (the Governor General of India) and Karan Singh (the Yuvraj at the time).|thumb|318x318px]]In the 1980 Sheikh Abdullah's [[Jammu & Kashmir National Conference|National Conference]] government, in recognition of Ashai's contributions as founding registrar designated the main road leading to the present university campus in [[Hazratbal]] as Ghulam Ahmad Ashai Road.

A commemorative plaque was installed at the entrance of the university, but it has since been removed.{{Citation needed|date=November 2013}} The family claims that illegal orders were given to have the plaque removed and the road christening annulled.{{Citation needed|date=November 2013}} However, according to official papers, the road is still legally named as "Ghulam Ahmad Ashai Road".{{Citation needed|date=November 2013}}

==Education==
Ashai secured first class in the B.A. (Bachelor of Arts) examination of the Punjab University with the distinction of topping the list of candidates in 1915. He then gained his M.A. (Master of Arts) in Persian from Calcutta University. He obtained first division and was awarded His Excellency the Chancellor's gold medal and the highest cash prize of Rs. 200.{{Citation needed|date=November 2013}}

He gained his B.T. (Bachelor of Teaching) from the Punjab University. He also passed the Munshi Fazil Examination from the same university which earned him an additional degree of M.O.L. (Master of Oriental Languages). He successfully competed for the Senior Forest Service of the State of Jammu and Kashmir with distinction but opted out of it.{{Citation needed|date=November 2013}}

==Family==
Ghulam Ahmad Ashai was married to Jana Begum, the only daughter of Khwaja Amir Shah of Varmul, a wealthy Kashmiri nobleman. Ahmad and Jana had ten children; four sons and six daughters.{{Citation needed|date=November 2013}} They lost their second daughter to a viral disease at age 7. Ashai's children founded a charitable memorial trust at Kashmir in memory of their father on 26 August 2005.{{Citation needed|date=November 2013}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.shtml?116968 ''Memorial trust formed in memory of Ghulam Ahmad Ashai'', Pakistan Tribune, 26 August 2005]
* [http://kashmirmedia.wordpress.com/category/history/ ''History - Kashmir Media; Wordpress'', Wordpress]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080509123256/http://vitasta.org/2000/3.12.html ''Vitasta - A Kashmir Sabha'', Kolkata Publication]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070701173128/http://203.129.216.164/html/about_us.html ''University of Kashmir - About Us page'']

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ashai, Ghulam}}
[[Category:Kashmiri people]]
[[Category:People from Srinagar]]
[[Category:University of Calcutta alumni]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing]]
[[Category:Year of death missing]]

Ghulam Ahmad Ashai - Revision history

imported>TheRedReaper at 10:18, 19 February 2021