B. S. Abdur Rahman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
B. S. Abdur Rahman
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| Born | 15 October 1927 |
| Died | 7 January 2015 (aged 87) Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
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| Other names | Sena Aana, House of Buhari |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur, philanthropist, educationist |
| Known for | Founder Chancellor of B. S. Abdur Rahman University Founder of ETA Ascon Star Group Founder of Star Health and Allied Insurance Founder of West Asia Maritime Founder of Amana Investments Founder of East Coast Constructions & Industries |
| Spouse(s) | Muthu Zulaiha Beevi |
| Children | 6 |
Buhari Syed Abdur Rahman (born October 15, 1927 – died January 7, 2015) was an important person from India. He was a successful businessman, a kind person who helped others, and someone who cared deeply about education.
He had many businesses in the UAE and India. These included shipping, building, and insurance. He also started many schools, colleges, hospitals, and even a university. He was even named one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world.
From 1973 to 2015, Abdur Rahman was a leader at Emirates Trading Agency (ETA Star) and Ascon Group. These are big companies based in Dubai. He also started B. S. Abdur Rahman University, which was one of the first private engineering colleges in Chennai.
He led many other companies too. These included East Coast Constructions and Industries, West Asia Maritime, and Star Health and Allied Insurance. East Coast Constructions built many famous buildings in Chennai. These include the Gemini Flyover, Chepauk Stadium, and the Marina Lighthouse. Abdur Rahman passed away in 2015 when he was 87 years old. He gave a lot of money to charities. He focused on helping people who were not well-off.
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Early Life and Beginnings
B. S. Abdur Rahman was born in Kilakarai, Tamil Nadu, India. His family was middle-class. His father, Bhukari Aalim, was a well-known pearl trader. Abdur Rahman finished his schooling at Schwartz School and Hameedia High School. He had four sons and two daughters.
He started his first business in Sri Lanka with his older brother. After his sister's accidental death, he started a college for women in her name. This college is called Thassim Beevi Abdul Kader College for Women. He also started many other schools and colleges in Tamil Nadu.
How He Became a Businessman
When Abdur Rahman was fifteen, he went to Colombo with only 149 Indian Rupees. He worked for diamond merchants, doing small jobs like fetching tea and cleaning rooms. This was a tough start, but he was determined.
He managed to get gemstones on credit from another merchant. Soon, he became a successful gem trader. The experience he gained in Sri Lanka helped him in all his future plans. He traveled to places like Belgium, the USA, and South America. He also set up businesses in Malaysia, Chennai, Kolkata, and Hong Kong. His business really grew in Hong Kong. He was the first person from Kilakarai to go to Hong Kong.
In 1954, he started the Precious Trading Company in Hong Kong. Later, he created the Amana Group of Hong Kong. This group led to the creation of the big international company ETA-Ascon. Abdur Rahman also helped with the movie Ulagam Sutrum Valiban when it was filmed in Hong Kong.
The ETA Group began in Dubai in 1973. It was a partnership with Abdullah Al-Ghurair. This company started with civil construction. Over time, it grew into many different areas. These include trading, real estate, engineering, and shipping. Today, ETA-Ascon employs over 54,000 people. It is a very important part of Abdur Rahman's business empire.
His Focus on Education
Abdur Rahman believed that education was the key to solving society's problems. Because of this, he started many organizations and institutions to support learning:
- The Seethakathi Trust
- All India Islamic Foundation
- B.S. Abdur Rahman University
- Thassim Beevi Abdul Kader College for Women
- Islamic Studies & Cultural Centre
- B.S. Abdur Rahman Zakat Foundation Trust
Helping Others
Abdur Rahman was known for his generous acts of kindness.
Supporting Young People
He believed that young people should be healthy in mind and body. So, he supported activities like NSS, NCC, and Scouts in his institutions. To encourage sports, he built and gave a stadium to the Tamil Nadu Government in 1997. This stadium had facilities for indoor games and a gym.
Economic Support
He founded the United Economic Forum. Through this group, he organized activities to help people grow financially. He also encouraged social work.
Orphanages
Abdur Rahman started and helped fund several orphanages:
- Al-Mumin Seethakathi Children Home, Sakkaraikottai
- Al-Mumin Umar Pulavar Children Hoome, Ottapidaram
- Al-Mumin Shahul Hameed (Wali) Children Home, Thanjavur
- Al-Mumin K.T.M.S. Hamid Children Home (Girls), Kilakarai
- Al-Mumin Malik Dinar Children Home (Girls), Thiruvithancode
Awards and Recognition
In 2005, Sathyabama University gave him an honorary doctorate degree. This was to recognize his great work in education, business, healthcare, and helping the community.
Images for kids
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Congress MP - Mr.Mani Shankar Aiyar
See also
- Kilakarai
- Tamil Muslim
- ETA Star Group
- Crescent Engineering College
