YourPritam7 at 10:36, 28 January 2026

2026-01-28T10:36:19Z

New page

{{Short description|Indian biotechnologist (born 1946)}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = M. H. Ahmad
| image = M H Ahmad 2025.jpg
| caption = Ahmad in 2025
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1946|1|9}}
| birth_place = [[Colgong]], [[Bihar Province]], British India (present-day [[Kahalgaon]], [[Bihar]], India)
| citizenship = {{plainlist|
* [[British subject]] ([[Partition of India|until 1947]])
* [[India]] (after 1947)
}}
| fields = [[Molecular biology]] [[Agricultural biotechnology]] [[Medicinal plants]] [[Genetic engineering]]
| workplaces = [[All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi|All India Institute of Medical Sciences]] [[University of Delhi]] [[University of Regensburg]] [[University of the West Indies]]
| alma_mater = [[Bihar Agricultural University]] [[Indian Agricultural Research Institute]] [[Cornell University]] [[Harvard University]]
| awards = [[File:Baton Order of Distinction Jamaica.jpg|50px]] [[Order of Distinction (Jamaica)|Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander]] (2024)
| honorific_suffix = [[Order of Distinction (Jamaica)|CD]]
| module = {{Infobox officeholder
| embed = yes
| office =Director of the Biotechnology Centre at the [[University of the West Indies]], Mona
| term_start = 16 June 1990
| term_end = 30 September 2011
| predecessor = ''Office established''
| successor = Marcia Roye}}
}}
'''Mohammad Hussain Ahmad''' {{post-nominals|list=[[Order of Distinction (Jamaica)|CD]]}} (born 9 January 1946), usually cited as '''M. H. Ahmad''',<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Evans |first1=H. J. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HAToCAAAQBAJ&dq=mh+ahmad+Departmental+Reports+University+of+the+West+Indies&pg=PA150 |title=Nitrogen fixation research progress: Proceedings of the 6th international symposium on Nitrogen Fixation, Corvallis, OR 97331, August 4–10, 1985 |last2=Bottomley |first2=P. J. |last3=Newton |first3=William E. |date=2012-12-06 |publisher=Springer Science & Business Media |isbn=978-94-009-5175-4 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Indies |first=University of the West |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0Rljvkh7UVkC&q=mh+ahmad+Departmental+Reports+University+of+the+West+Indies |title=Departmental Reports |date=2006 |publisher=Jamaica Times (Press) |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dKUtTKuf2hEC&q=mh+ahmad+Departmental+Reports+University+of+the+West+Indies |title=Canadian Journal of Microbiology |date=July 1991 |publisher=National Research Council of Canada. |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Publications |first=Europa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=st0ytve2aSoC&q=university+of+west+indies+biotechnology+center+prof+ahmad |title=The World of Learning 2001 |date=2000 |publisher=Europa Publications |isbn=978-1-85743-084-4 |language=en}}</ref> is an [[Indian people|Indian]] [[scientist]] and [[professor]] emeritus of biotechnology at the [[University of the West Indies]] where he served as the founding director of the institute's Biotechnology Centre from 1990 until his retirement in 2011. His research focused on [[medicinal plants]], [[molecular biology]] as well as [[genetic engineering]] and was conferred with the [[Order of Distinction (Jamaica)|Order of Distinction]] in 2024 for his role in enhancing agricultural production in the [[Caribbean]]. He is also a former science advisor to Jamaican prime minister [[P. J. Patterson]] and a former board member of the National Commission on Science and Technology.

== Early life and career ==
Ahmad was born to a [[Shaikhs in North India|Shaikh]] family on January 9, 1946, in [[Kahalgaon|Colgong]] (present-day Kahalgaon) in the [[Bhagalpur district]] of [[Bihar Province]], [[British Raj|British India]].{{cn|date=December 2024}} He received his basic education in [[Bhagalpur]], where he also attended [[Bihar Agricultural University]] and graduated in 1966 with a bachelor's degree in science.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jamaica) |first=University of the West Indies (Mona |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZVS7AAAAIAAJ&q=mh+ahmad+bsc+bhagal |title=Departmental Reports: Mona |date=1992 |publisher=University of the West Indies, Jamaica. |language=en}}</ref> He later pursued his post-graduation and PhD from the [[Indian Agricultural Research Institute]] in [[Delhi]] in 1974.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gjMlAQAAIAAJ&q=mh+ahmad+bhagal+iari |title=Commonwealth Universities Yearbook |date=1999 |publisher=Association of Commonwealth Universities. |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Jamaica) |first=University of the West Indies (Mona |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Cz3qWJWHVYgC&q=mh+ahmad+bhagal |title=Departmental Reports to Council - University of the West Indies |date=1995 |publisher=University of the West Indies, Jamaica. |language=en}}</ref>

Following a brief stint at [[Delhi University]], Ahmad was appointed as a research scientist at the [[University of Regensburg]] in 1977 and later as a postdoctoral research associate at [[Cornell University]] in 1980.{{cn|date=December 2024}} In 1982, he joined the [[University of the West Indies]] as a [[Reader (academic rank)|reader]] before being promoted to senior lecturer in 1983.{{cn|date=December 2024}} He established the Biotechnology Centre, a research unit within the Faculty of Science and Technology at the [[Mona, Jamaica|Mona]] campus of the university<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DZVLAAAAYAAJ&q=biotechnology+centre+m.+h.+ahmad |title=Jagrist: The Bulletin of the Jamaican Society for Agricultural Sciences (JSAS). |date=1995 |publisher=JSAS |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Yadav |first=A. K. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AU8fAQAAMAAJ&q=biotechnology+centre+m.+h.+ahmad |title=Proceedings of the International Symposium on Medicinal and Nutraceutical Plants: Macon, Georgia, USA, March 19-23, 2007 |date=2007 |publisher=ISHS |isbn=978-90-6605-640-4 |language=en}}</ref> through grants from European communities and served as its first director from June 1990 until his retirement in September 2011.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mona.uwi.edu/sites/default/files/uwi/reports/biotech_6.pdf|title=THE BIOTECHNOLOGY CENTRE|access-date=29 November 2025|website=www.mona.uwi.edu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-06-14 |title=UWI's Biotech Centre is 20 |url=https://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20100614/news/news2.html |access-date=2024-05-18 |website=jamaica-gleaner.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-06-14 |title=UWI's Biotech Centre is 20 |url=https://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20100614/news/news2.html |access-date=2024-11-25 |website=jamaica-gleaner.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":35">{{Cite journal |date=2008 |title=Back Matter |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40654691 |journal=Caribbean Quarterly |volume=54 |issue=3 |jstor=40654691 |issn=0008-6495}}</ref><ref name=":36">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3T5tAAAAIAAJ&dq=Professor+Mohammed+Ahmed+biotechnology+university+of+west+indies&pg=PT3 |title=Workshop Proceedings Caribbean Biotechnology Agenda for the Valorization of Genetic Resources October -,port-of Spain Trinidad and Tobago |date=1991 |publisher=IICA |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R3JQAAAAYAAJ&q=university+of+west+indies+biotechnology+center+prof+ahmad |title=The Agriculturalist |date=2002 |publisher=Caribbean Agricultural Communications Services |language=en}}</ref>

During his period in office, Ahmad implemented a regional plan for research, education, and training in plant, animal and fermentation biotechnology alongside aiming to collaborate with Jamaica's private sector to support the application of biotechnology in industry, agriculture and healthcare.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bib. Orton IICA / CATIE |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=At8NAQAAIAAJ&dq=mh+ahmed+mona&pg=PA23 |via=books.google.co.in}}</ref><ref name=":312">{{Cite book |last1=Aftab |first1=Tariq |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LRomEAAAQBAJ&q=marquis+who's+who+M+H+Ahmad+biotechnologist |title=Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Healthcare and Industrial Applications |last2=Hakeem |first2=Khalid Rehman |date=2021-03-27 |publisher=Springer Nature |isbn=978-3-030-58975-2 |page=303 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Benn |first1=Denis |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cAAzdxg55TcC&dq=university+of+west+indies+biotechnology+center+prof+ahmad&pg=PA596 |title=Contending with Destiny: The Caribbean in the 21st Century |last2=Hall |first2=Kenneth |date=2000 |publisher=Ian Randle Publishers |isbn=978-976-637-009-1 |language=en}}</ref>

Ahmad also served as a board member of Jamaica's National Commission on Science and Technology.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |title=The Biotechnology Centre |url=https://uwispace.sta.uwi.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/a8be70ec-7be0-4c97-81bb-5ce0094ce6d2/content}}</ref>

In 1997, he gave a seminar on biotechnology at [[Nottingham Trent University]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Indies |first=University of the West |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=89nH4iVwJOYC&q=mh+ahmad+biotech |title=Departmental Reports |date=1997 |publisher=Jamaica Times (Press) |language=en}}</ref> He took part in a workshop in biotechnology and bioengineering at the Barbados campus of the University of the West Indies in 1999.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jamaica) |first=University of the West Indies (Mona |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W2JMD2kSSiUC&q=mh+ahmad+Departmental+Reports+University+of+the+West+Indies |title=Departmental Reports: Mona |date=1999 |publisher=University of the West Indies |language=en}}</ref> In 2002, he led the pathology component of the Citrus Replanting Project of [[Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (Jamaica)|Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries]], which was completed in 2007. In November 2005, he received the German ambassador to Jamaica Volker Schlegel at the Biotechnology Centre.<ref>[https://www.mona.uwi.edu/secretariat/sites/default/files/secretariat/dr-05-06.pdf The Library Mona – Year ending July 31, 2006]</ref> In 2008, he delivered a guest lecture at the [[Visva-Bharati University]].

Ahmad retired in September 2011 and was succeeded by Marcia Roye as the acting director of the Biotechnology Centre.

He has also served as an advisor to Jamaican prime minister [[P. J. Patterson]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 August 2024 |title=कहलगांव के डॉ. अहमद को जमैका में किया गया सम्मानित |url=https://www.bhaskar.com/local/bihar/bhagalpur/kahalgaon/news/dr-ahmed-of-kahalgaon-was-honored-in-jamaica-133469571.html |access-date=25 November 2024 |website=www.bhaskar.com |language=hi}}</ref>

He was appointed as professor emeritus in February 2012 by the Finance and General Purposes Committee of the [[University of the West Indies]].<ref name=":33">{{Cite web |title=The Biotechnology Centre |url=https://uwispace.sta.uwi.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/85ebd0a4-2b3f-443d-835a-b0c387f0496b/content}}</ref>

In 2023, the Biotechnology Centre ceased to exist when it was merged with the Natural Products Institute in order to create the Caribbean Centre for Research in Bioscience.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About {{!}} Caribbean Centre for Research in Bioscience |url=https://www.mona.uwi.edu/ccrib/about |access-date=2024-11-29 |website=www.mona.uwi.edu}}</ref>

He received the High Commissioner of India to Jamaica Masakui Rungsung at his residence in Kingston in June 2024. In October 2024, following the 62nd Jamaican [[Independence Day (Jamaica)|Independence Day]], he was conferred with the [[Order of Distinction (Jamaica)|Order of Distinction]] in the rank of Commander for his contribution in [[Jamaica]] to the field of agricultural sciences and genetic engineering.<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 August 2024 |title=National Honours and Awards |url=https://jis.gov.jm/media/2024/08/Hons-Awards-Gl-2024.pdf |access-date=15 December 2024 |website=jis.gov.jm}}</ref>

== Recognition ==
* 2024 – [[Order of Distinction (Jamaica)|Order of Distinction]], Commander Class<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 August 2024 |title=National Honours and Awards |url=https://www.pressreader.com/jamaica/jamaica-gleaner/20240806/282329685222778?srsltid=AfmBOoot1nwbMqD0dhFmzIm1QkeyOFTKa659Eiy1eEfQKiRiUm5pmYC8 |access-date=2024-11-25 |via=PressReader}}</ref>

== Selected publications ==

=== Articles ===

* Millar, M. K. J., S. M. Mitchell, M. H. Ahmad and K. G. Golden. (2003) Azadirachtin levels of commercial Neem oils and neem seed grown in Jamaica. In: Proceedings of the Sixth Conference of the Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, Mona, Jamaica.
* Mitchell, S.A. and Ahmad, M.H. 2006a. A Review of Medicinal Plant Research at the University of the West Indies, Jamaica, 1948–2001. West Indies Medical Journal.
* Mitchell S.A. and M. H. Ahmad (2006) Protecting our medicinal plant heritage: the making of a new national treasure. Jamaica Journal, Institute of Jamaica, Kingston.
* Mitchell, S. A., and M. H. Ahmad. "Medicinal Plant Biotechnology Research in Jamaica-Challenges and Opportunities." ''International Symposium on Medicinal and Nutraceutical Plants 756''. 2007.
* Mitchell, Sylvia A., et al. "A journey through the Medicinal Plant Industry of the Caribbean highlighting Mona's Contribution." ''Caribbean Quarterly'' 54.3 (2008): 27–51.
* Abdel‐Tawwab, Mohsen, and Mohammad H. Ahmad. "Live Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) as a growth and immunity promoter for Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.), challenged with pathogenic Aeromonas hydrophila." ''Aquaculture Research'' 40.9 (2009): 1037–1046.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ahmad, M. H.}}
[[Category:1946 births]]
[[Category:Indian biotechnologists]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Bhagalpur district]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of Distinction]]
{{Authority control}}

M. H. Ahmad - Revision history

YourPritam7 at 10:36, 28 January 2026