The Life and Legacy of Syed Shahid Mahdi

A former Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia and United Nations expert, Mahdi inspired generations with his intellect, humour, and love for literature.

- Prof. M. Aslam

I first met Syed Shahid Mahdi in early 2000s, shortly after he became Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi. I was then serving as Director of the School of Continuing Education at IGNOU, New Delhi.

We sat together over coffee, a few books scattered between us, and soon discovered a remarkable connection rooted in a shared history with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. Between 1983 and 1988, Mahdi had served at FAO headquarters in Rome as Chief of Inter-Agency Affairs in the Director-General's office, while I was Director (Training) at the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

CIRDAP had been established at FAO's initiative, linking our professional paths across countries and years.

This coincidence became the foundation of a friendship built on shared work, curiosity, and a love for thoughtful conversation.