Saturday 8 November 2014

A brilliant alumnus of Yale University ,U.S; Ex Somalia Supreme Court Judge,U.P.S.C Member:Dr.N.A.Noor Mohammad.

Introduction: Dr. N.A. Noor Mohamad was really one of the brightest intellectuals  and milestones of kanyakumari district.. He was a remarkable person and a colorful multifaceted personality . As a Vice Chancellor, as a Judge of Somalia's Supreme Court and as a Member of the Union Public Service Commission of India  etc ,Dr. N.A. Noor Mohammad  had brought lasting laurels to Kanakumari District , Tamil Nadu and India. .

His Birth and parents:   Dr. N.A. Noor Mohamad was born  as a son of Mr and Mrs. N. Azanarkannu of Surangudi  on 18th October , 1916, at Surengudi, Agasteswaram taluk in kanyakumari district..

His education : He did his  Primary school education at  the L.M.S . Primary School  at North Surangudi and  at the Catholic School at  Maravan Kudiyiruppu and  continued  his  High School education at S.L.B. English High School ,Nagercoil.  He did  his Intermediate Collegiate Education at  the famous Scott Christian College , Nagercoil and  passed his Intermediate examination in 1935 in first division.  He did his B.A[Honors] at the famous Tthiruvananthapuram Arts college,and as a brilliant student he passed his B.A{Honors] Examination with university rank and got the  prestigious 'Lepper's Gold Medal"of the University.


His family Life:: Dr. N.A. Noor Mohamad married  Fathima Bevi, the  youngest daughter of  Janab N.Sahul Hammed [ Generally known as Thakalay N.S. Muthalazhi]  in January , 1941. And  this lovely couple  was blessed lovely  and brilliant children.

His legal career :  For a short span of time he worked as a  Clerk at the Secretariat at Thiruvanthapurm and then  in tune with his burning intellectual ambition he resigned his job and joined the B.L. degree course at the  Law College, Thruvananthapuram  and received his B.L. Degree in 1945. He  registered as a Lawyer with  the High Court, Thiruvananthapuram and started to practice as a Lawyer at the District Court, Nagercoil.


His colorful political career;  He was a politician and political thinker also.  He associated himself with the activities of  the Tamil Nadu Congress and  worked for the merger of Kanyakumari district with Tamil Nadu. In 1951 he contested  the Travancore- Cochin State Assembly  Election , as an official  candidate of the Travancore Tamil Nadu Congress  and won the election . He  served as an efficacious M.L.A in the Assembly and simultaneously he was working  as the Vice President of the Travancore Tamil Nadu Congress Party.

In the interim election conducted in  1953, again he was elected as an M.L.A from the Padmanabhapuram Assembly Constituency.  In 1955 there took place a great agitation for the cause of merging Kanyakumari district with Tamil Nadu ,  in this agitation  Mr.  N.A. Noor Mohammad took active part and for the same he was jailed along with other participants .As a great speaker and writer both in Tamil and English  he incited the reasonable linguistic fervor and passion of the people and mobilized their support  for the cause of merging Kanyakumarui district with Tamil Nadu on linguistic basis .  More over he had the privilege to work as the Executive Committee Member of the Travancore Cochin Congress  Party and member of the All India Congress Party.

His Higher Education    : He appeared for the prestigious I.C.S.  examination in 1938 but unfortunately he failed in his attempt .  Spontaneously motivated my his educational urge  in 1949 he proceeded to  U.S.A to do his M.B.A at the prestigious Harvard University,  but due to severe eye disease he could not continue his M.B.A and so he returned to India . But motivated by  his educational spark he applied a for a Scholarship and  got a Scholarship from the Yale University , USA and so he  went again  USA to do his  Post Graduate Law Degree Course in International Law [L.L.M] at the famous Yale University , USA.. After having successfully completed his L.L.M, degree he continued his doctorate studies in the same University and got his Doctorate in International Law in 1958   . Then with his   prestigious Doctorate  Law degree from Yale University  he  returned to Kanyakumari district, India


While Dr. N.A.Noor Mohamad was in USA he was  was enjoying intimate friendship with great personalities like the then Senator the Late American President John. F. Kennedy, Former US Ambassador to India Mr. Chester  Bowls , and former American Supreme court judges like Mr. Douglas and some others .

His services in the United Nations: On his return from USA, he registered himself as a Lawyer  with the Supreme Court of  India,  and practiced as a  Lawyer at the Madras High Court.  While he was thriving and shinning in his legal career in 1959 he got the privilege to work in Lebanon's capital city Beirut  as the Legal Adviser for the Refugee Reorganizing Fund ,on behalf of the  United Nation's Geneva based Legal Expert's Council; and he efficiently served and continued  in this capacity till 1960.  Then  he was appointed as the United Nations' Legal Adviser to the Republic of Somalia in 1960 and subsequently on February  1962 he was elevated  as Judge of  the Supreme Court of Somalia,.

He  served as the Vice Chancellor of the  University  of Calicut :: On his return from Somalia , he was appointed as the Vice Chancellor of the the famous University of Calicut  He efficaciously served as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Calicut, Kerala State, from  14th November 1975 to 26th November 1978.

He served as the Member of the  U.P.S.C of India :  The Government India appointed Dr Noor Mohammad as a Member of the Union Public Service Commission {UPSC] . He worked  with great distinction  as a Member of the U.P.S.C,  from 30th November 1978 to 17th October 1981.

Conclusion :  Definitely Dr.N.A Noor Mohammd was one of the illustrious sons of Kanyakuamri District and Tamil Nadu . He was versatile personality and he was a colorful multifaceted  personality . He made his lasting imprints in many walks of life .He was a towering public  figure .He served as the President of Nagercoil Rotary Club with distinction during the Rotary year 1953-1954. For many years he served as the Honorary Secretary of the South Travancore  Merchants' Association . He also served as the Kanyakumari District Scout Commissioner . He also played a key role for the promotion of sports in Kanyakumari district. He was great  a orator both in English and Tamil and also a voracious reader and creative thinker. Really he was a towering and outstanding personality  in all senses of the words.  He is definitely an illustrious milestone of our Kanyakumari District , Tamil Nadu and India . In short he was an international personality with  loving heart and  intellectual head . Even though he is not with us in this world he lives in the hearts and history of Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu and India.
P. BABU MANOHARAN, M.A, [ Rights reserved][ If needed  this Post will be modified  with more information, later]