Mohammad Hamid Ansari

Mohammad Hamid Ansari , ) (born April 1, 1937) is the 12th and current Vice President of India. He is a former chairman of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM). He is also an academician, a career diplomat, and a former Vice-Chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University.

He was elected the 12^th Vice President of India on 10 August 2007 and took office on 11 August 2007.

Early life and Career

Ansari was born in Calcutta (now Kolkata) on April 1, 1937 though his family belongs to Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh. He is the grand nephew of former Congress President Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari, a leader of the Indian independence movement. He studied at Shimla's St. Edwards High School, the St. Xavier's College of the University of Calcutta and at the Aligarh Muslim University.

Ansari started his career as a civil servant in the Indian Foreign Service in 1961. He was Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, Indian High Commissioner to Australia and Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia. He was awarded the Padma Shree in 1984. He was also the Vice-Chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University from May 2000 to March 2002. He is known for his role in ensuring compensation to the victims of the Gujarat riots and pushing for a complete re-look into the relief and rehabilitation for riot victims since 1984.

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