Mohammad Hidayatullah facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mohammad Hidayatullah OBE
6th Vice President of India
In office 31 August 1979 – 30 August 1984
President	Neelam Sanjiva Reddy Zail Singh
Preceded by	B. D. Jatti
Succeeded by	Ramaswamy Venkataraman
Acting President of India
In office 20 July 1969 – 24 August 1969
Prime Minister	Indira Gandhi
Preceded by	Varahagiri Venkata Giri (acting)
Succeeded by	Varahagiri Venkata Giri
In office 6 October 1982 – 31 October 1982
Prime Minister	Indira Gandhi
Preceded by	Zail Singh
Succeeded by	Zail Singh
In office 25 July 1983
Prime Minister	Indira Gandhi
Preceded by	Zail Singh
Succeeded by	Zail Singh
11th Chief Justice of India
In office 25 February 1968 – 16 December 1970
Appointed by	Zakir Husain
Preceded by	Kailas Nath Wanchoo
Succeeded by	Jayantilal Chhotalal Shah
Personal details
Born	(1905-12-17)17 December 1905 Lucknow, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India (present-day Uttar Pradesh, India)
Died	18 September 1992(1992-09-18) (aged 86) Bombay, Maharashtra, India (present-day Mumbai)
Political party	Independent
Spouse	Pushpa Shah
Alma mater	Nagpur University Trinity College, Cambridge Lincoln's Inn
Occupation	Lawyer politician academician

Mohammad Hidayatullah (1905–1992) was an important figure in Indian history. He was the 11th Chief Justice of India, serving from 1968 to 1970. He also became the sixth Vice President of India, from 1979 to 1984. What makes him truly special is that he also served as the acting President of India multiple times. He was known as a brilliant legal expert, a scholar, a teacher, and a writer.

Early Life and Education

Mohammad Hidayatullah was born on December 17, 1905. His family was well-known, and his grandfather was a lawyer. His father, Hafiz Mohammed Wilayatullah, was a famous poet who wrote in Urdu. This is likely where Hidayatullah got his love for languages and books. His father was also a gold medalist from Aligarh Muslim University.

School and College Days

Hidayatullah finished his early schooling in Raipur in 1922. He then went to Morris College in Nagpur. He was a very bright student and won the 'Phillip's Scholar' award in 1926. When he graduated, he received the Malak Gold Medal for his excellent performance.

Studying Law in England

Like many bright Indians at the time, Hidayatullah traveled to England to study law. He attended Trinity College, Cambridge from 1927 to 1930. There, he earned his B.A. and M.A. degrees and won another gold medal. At just 25 years old, he became a Barrister from Lincoln's Inn, which meant he was qualified to practice law in England. He later received honorary degrees from several universities, including the University of the Philippines.

A Distinguished Career

After finishing his studies, Hidayatullah returned to India in 1930. He started his career as a lawyer in the High Court of Central Provinces and Berar in Nagpur. He also taught law and English literature at the University College of Law in Nagpur.

Rising Through the Ranks

Hidayatullah quickly moved up in his legal career.

• In 1942, he became a Government Pleader (a lawyer representing the government).
• In 1943, he was appointed the Advocate General of Central Provinces and Berar (now Madhya Pradesh). He was the youngest person to hold this important position in an Indian state.
• In 1946, he became an Additional Judge of the High Court.
• Later that year, he became a permanent judge.

Chief Justice of High Court and Supreme Court

In 1954, Hidayatullah became the Chief Justice of the Nagpur High Court, again being the youngest to hold such a position. In 1956, he became the Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

On December 1, 1958, he was appointed as a judge to the Supreme Court of India. He was the youngest judge on the Supreme Court at that time. After serving for nearly 10 years, he was appointed the Chief Justice of India on February 28, 1968. He was the first Muslim Chief Justice of India. He retired from this position in 1970.

Serving as Acting President

Mohammad Hidayatullah holds a unique place in Indian history because he served in all three top offices: Chief Justice, Vice President, and acting President.

First Time as Acting President

While he was the Chief Justice of India, the then-President, Zakir Husain, sadly passed away in 1969. The Vice President, Mr. V. V. Giri, became the acting President. However, Mr. Giri soon resigned to run for President in the election. This meant there was no President or Vice President. According to the law, the Chief Justice of India, Mohammad Hidayatullah, then stepped in as the acting President. He served from July 20 to August 24, 1969. During this time, the President of the United States, Richard Nixon, visited India, making Hidayatullah's short term historic.

Vice President of India

After he retired as Chief Justice, Hidayatullah was elected as the Vice President of India in 1979. He held this important office until August 1984. He was highly respected for being fair and independent during his time as Vice President.

Second Time as Acting President

In 1982, when the then-President, Zail Singh, went to the U.S. for medical treatment, Vice President Hidayatullah again stepped in as acting President. He served from October 6 to October 31, 1982. This meant he had acted as President twice, which is a very rare achievement.

Important Legal Decisions

During his long time in the Supreme Court, Hidayatullah was part of many important legal decisions. One notable case was Golaknath v. State of Punjab. In this case, the court decided that the Parliament could not reduce or take away the Fundamental Rights of citizens through constitutional changes. His judgment in the case of Ranjit D. Udeshi, which dealt with the law of obscenity, also showed his deep knowledge of literature.

Involvement in Nagpur Affairs

Before becoming a High Court judge, Hidayatullah was active in local and state matters in Nagpur. He served on various committees, including:

• Member of the Nagpur Municipal Committee (1931–1933)
• Member of the Nagpur University's Executive and Academic Councils (1934–1953)
• Member of the Nagpur Bar Council (1943–1946)

Because of his service to the government before India's independence, he was honored by King George VI in 1946 with the title of Officer of the Order of the British Empire.

Teaching and Other Roles

Hidayatullah also had a strong academic career. He taught at the University College of Law from 1935 to 1943. He later served as the Dean of the Faculty of Law at Nagpur University from 1949 to 1953. He also taught at other universities like Sagar University and Aligarh Muslim University.

He held many leadership positions in educational and legal organizations:

• Pro-Chancellor of Delhi University (1968–1970)
• Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia (1969–1985)
• Chancellor of Delhi and Punjab Universities (1979–1984)
• President of the Indian Law Institute (1963–1970)
• President of the International Law Association (Indian Branch) (1968–1970)

He was also involved with the Bharat Scouts and Guides, serving as Chief Commissioner for Madhya Pradesh and later as Chief Scout of the All India Boy Scouts Association from 1982 to 1992.

A Scholar of Many Languages

Hidayatullah was very knowledgeable in many languages. He was a scholar in Hindi, English, Urdu, Persian, and French. He also had a good understanding of other Indian languages, including Sanskrit and Bengali.

Institutions and Legacy

Hidayatullah was the president of several important organizations, including the Indian Law Institute and the Indian Red Cross Society.

The Hidayatullah National Law University in Naya Raipur is named after him to honor his contributions to law and education. The university also holds a special competition called the Justice Hidayatullah Memorial National Moot Court Competition (HNMCC) in his memory.

Books Written by Hidayatullah

Mohammad Hidayatullah was also a prolific writer. Some of his notable books include:

• Democracy in India and the Judicial Process (1966)
• A Judge's Miscellany (1972)
• My own Boswell (Autobiography) (1980)
• Constitutional law of India (1984)

Awards and Honours

Hidayatullah received many awards and honors throughout his life:

• Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1946.
• Order of the Yugoslav Flag with Sash in 1970.
• Knight of Mark Twain in 1971.
• Honorary Bencher of Lincoln's Inn in 1968.
• Shiromani Award in 1986.
• Architects of India Award in 1987.

Between 1970 and 1987, 12 Indian universities and the University of the Philippines gave him honorary doctorate degrees in Law or Literature.

Personal Life

In 1948, Mohammad Hidayatullah married Pushpa Shah. Their son, Arshad Hidayatullah, is also a respected lawyer who works as a Senior Counsel at the Supreme Court of India.

See also

• Chief Justice of India
• President of India
• Hidayatullah National Law University

Images for kids

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  The entrance to the Justice Hidayatullah Moot Court Hall, named after Mohammad Hidayatullah, in the National Law School of India University in Bangalore

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  The academic block of the Hidayatullah National Law University