Sheikh Abdullah
Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah (5 December 1905 – 8 September 1982) was an Indian politician who played a central role in the politics of Jammu and Kashmir. Abdullah was the founding leader of the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference (later renamed Jammu and Kashmir National Conference) and the 1st elected Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir after its accession to India. He agitated against the rule of the Maharaja Hari Singh and urged self-rule for Kashmir.
Sher-i-Kashmir Sheikh Abdullah | |
|---|---|
Sheikh Abdullah on a 1988 stamp of India | |
| 3rd Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir | |
| In office 25 February 1975 – 26 March 1977 | |
| In office 9 July 1977 – 8 September 1982 | |
| Succeeded by | Farooq Abdullah |
| 1st Elected Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir | |
| In office 31 October 1951 – 9 August 1953 | |
| Preceded by | Himself |
| Succeeded by | Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad |
| Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Independent state | |
| In office 5 March 1948 – 31 October 1951 | |
| Preceded by | Mehr Chand Mahajan |
| Succeeded by | Himself |
| President of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference | |
| In office October 1932 – August 1981 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 December 1905 Soura, Jammu and Kashmir, British India |
| Died | 8 September 1982 (aged 76) Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India |
| Political party | Jammu and Kashmir National Conference |
| Spouse | Begum Akbar Jahan Abdullah |
| Children | Farooq Abdullah, Suraiya Abdullah Ali, Sheikh Mustafa Kamal, Khalida Shah |
| Alma mater | Islamia College Lahore Aligarh Muslim University |
He served as the 1st elected Prime Minister of the Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir and Jammu & Kashmir as a State and was later jailed by Indian government unconstitutionally citing his support to Insurgents. He was dismissed from the position of Prime Ministership on 8 August 1953 and Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad was appointed the new Prime Minister. The expressions 'Sadr-i-Riyasat' and 'Prime Minister' were replaced with the terms 'Governor' and 'Chief Minister' in 1965. Sheikh Abdullah again became the Chief Minister of the state following the accord with Indira in 1974 and remained in the top slot till his death on 8 September 1982.