Afzal Amanullah

Candidate for President at the India Islamic Cultural Centre (IICC) Elections 2024

Family Background

Born in Patna (Bihar) in 1956 in a Zamindar family of Old Shahabad district (present day Bhojpur, Rohtas, Buxar, Kaimur), Afzal grew up in Patna. His father was a government engineer who retired as Engineer-in-Chief, Bihar, in 1986. His mother was one of the first women in Bihar to complete a master’s degree in English from Patna University and later pursued Music at the Trinity College in London. Both his parents passed away in 1996 in an unfortunate plane crash near Delhi while they were on their way to perform Umrah and meet Afzal in Jeddah who was the Consul General of India at the time. His wife, Late Parveen Amanullah, was a firebrand social activist, founder of the Bihar Right to Information Manch and a cabinet minister in Bihar; she passed away in October 2023. Afzal’s father-in-law, Late Syed Shahabuddin, who passed away in 2017, was an Indian Foreign Service Officer of the 1958 batch who subsequently resigned in 1978 to pursue a career in law and politics, was among the strongest and most passionate voices for minority rights in India, was a Member of Parliament for several terms and founded and edited the internationally acclaimed Muslim India magazine. Afzal’s eldest uncle, Late Shahabuddin Rahmatullah, was an Urdu poet, barrister and an officer of the Indian Civil Service, 1935 batch. Afzal’s younger brother is a sitting judge of the Supreme Court of India. Afzal has a daughter and a son who are both working professionals and stay with him in Noida.

Education

Master’s in Public Administration, Harvard University, USA.
Bachelor of Law, Patna University, Patna, Bihar.
M.A. Economics, Delhi School of Economics, Delhi.
B.A. (Hons.) Economics, St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi, Delhi.

Experience

Afzal worked in government from July 1979 to May 2016 as member of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Bihar cadre. He was recruited through the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Combined Competitive Examination of 1978. He has a vast and varied experience in administration and in management of major organisations and large number of people. After serving for 37 years in various roles in the Bihar government, in the Central government and abroad, he retired from service in May 2016 as Secretary to Government of India (GOI), Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.
Post-retirement, Afzal led an enquiry into charges against a senior management member of the National Board of Examinations, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, GOI, from 2017-2018. He chaired the Committee on Minority Educational Institutions formed by the GOI from 2017-2018 and in the same period also chaired the Committee on the formation of a new Hajj Policy wherein a 360° study on Hajj was conducted and a comprehensive report issued in which momentous changes were recommended, most of which were implemented by the GOI. He was subsequently appointed the first Chairman of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) Bihar from 2018-2021, which he set up and built from scratch.

Afzal has handled jobs that require substantial managerial skills, quick decision making, leading large teams, performing judicial functions, managing elections, extensive bandobast exercises etc. As Sub-Divisional Officer/Magistrate at two places, as Deputy Development Commissioner and District Magistrate/ Collector of four districts, Settlement Officer of five districts, Afzal was in-charge of law and order and performed judicial functions. As Inspector General of Prisons in two tenures, he managed 74 jails with more than 60,000 prisoners.

He later became Home Secretary of Bihar for four years (2006-2009) and was instrumental in restoring the rule of law in the State. Additionally, he ensured the fencing of graveyards in Bihar, organised financial incentives to minority students for first class performance, facilitated the establishment of hostels for minorities, including girls, and ensured pension to widows and abandoned women during his tenure.

Afzal has served in the Finance, Rural Development, Registration, Health, Industries, Urban Development, Minority Welfare, Water Resources, Home and Cabinet Department in the Bihar government and the Agriculture, Information and Broadcasting, Consumer Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs ministries at the Centre. He headed the Bureau of Indian Standards, the Standards Body of India, and represented India on the Board of Indian Standards Organisation (ISO) and the International Electro Technical Commission (IEC) and introduced the hallmarking of gold jewellery in India.

Afzal has been associated with the conduct of elections from the very start of his career – as SDM and DM, was Returning Officer and District Election Officer; as Chief Electoral Officer of the State for some time; as Election Observer for one of the most disturbed districts of Kashmir (Kupwara); Election Observer for the entire State of West Bengal and for the entire State of Haryana.

For four years (1996-2000), Afzal was Consul General of India in Saudi Arabia, where apart from diplomatic, consular, economic and trade activities, he managed the Hajj pilgrimage for more than 1.5 lac Indians pilgrims each year for four Hajj seasons. GOI used to send 400+ officers, doctors and nurses from India each year to supplement staff requirements during the Hajj season. For the first time, he organised their in-person training which he conducted himself, wrote a training manual for trainers, wrote a book on Hajj for pilgrims and trained trainers at the Mumbai Hajj Committee. In addition to this, when a devastating fire broke out during Hajj in Mina in 1997 in which hundreds of pilgrims perished (Mina was known to have fires during Hajj every year), Afzal managed to get many pilgrims to safety. He investigated the cause and spread of the fire and concluded that it started at the Saudi National Guard camp while they were making tea and spread because foolproof fire control measures were not in place and the gates of several tents had been locked by the Moallims’ men, making it impossible for pilgrims to get to safety. The Saudi authorities were displeased with his findings and asked the GOI to remove him. However, the then Crown Prince opined that Afzal should not be penalised and rather ordered that Mina should henceforth have fire-proof, airconditioned tents. This led to the eradication of the hazards of fire at Mina.

An independent thinker and fearless in his approach, Afzal has developed unique relations with chief ministers and union ministers – challenging them rigorously across policy, administrative and strategy matters – and later hand-picked by them to implement the toughest decisions and projects. He has a strong sense of justice and fair play and is known for his outspokenness. He is known to be balanced and approachable and listens to all points of view before coming to a decision. His natural inclination is to be helpful to everyone who comes to him.

Interacting with Afzal

To support Afzal’s candidature as President of IICC, please send a request:

On WhatsApp to +966546453907 or +918368802077 to join the ‘IICC Change Maker’ Group on WhatsApp.
On IICCchangemaker@gmail.com and ⦁ info@iiccchangemaker.org to join our mailing list for news and updates.

To speak to Afzal, you can reach him on his mobile phone +91-9868255133 or +91-9958181002. In case he is occupied, please leave a message on his number and he will call you back. If you wish to interact with Afzal in person, please email IICCchangemaker@gmail.com and info@iiccchangemaker.org and we will make it happen. Afzal is interacting with members in-person and virtually and you can join our WhatsApp group or mailing list to stay abreast of his schedule.