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M. H. Ahmad

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M. H. Ahmad
CD
Born (1946-01-09) 9 January 1946 (age 78)
Colgong, Bihar Province, British India
Citizenship
Alma materBihar Agricultural University (BSc)
Indian Agricultural Research Institute (MSc, PhD)
Spouse
Nargis Khatoon
​
(m. 1966)​
Children2
AwardsOrder of Distinction (2024)
Scientific career
FieldsMolecular biology
Agricultural biotechnology
Medicinal plants
Genetic engineering
InstitutionsUniversity of Delhi
University of Regensburg
Cornell University
University of the West Indies
Director of the Biotechnology Centre at the University of the West Indies, Mona
In office
16 June 1990 – 30 September 2011
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byMarcia Roye

Mohammad Hussain Ahmad CD (born 9 January 1946), usually cited as M. H. Ahmad,[1][2][3][4] is an Indian agricultural biotechnologist, academic, and businessman based in Kingston, Jamaica. He founded the Biotechnology Centre, a research unit within the Faculty of Science and Technology at the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies,[5][6] and served as its inaugural director from 1990 until his retirement in 2011.[7][8] His research focused on medicinal plants,[9] molecular biology, and genetic engineering, aiming to enhance agricultural production in the Caribbean.[10] In recognition of his contributions, he was awarded the Order of Distinction in 2024.[11] He is also a former advisor to Jamaican prime minister Andrew Holness and a former board member of the National Commission on Science and Technology.[12][13]

Early life and career

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Ahmad was born to a Shaikh family on January 9, 1946, in Colgong (present-day Kahalgaon) in the Bhagalpur district of Bihar Province, British India.[14] He received his basic education in Bhagalpur, where he also attended Bihar Agricultural University and graduated in 1966 with a bachelor's degree in science.[15] He later pursued his post-graduation and PhD from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in Delhi in 1974.[16][17]

Following a brief stint at Delhi University, Ahmad was appointed as a research scientist at the University of Regensburg in 1977 and later as a postdoctoral research associate at Cornell University in 1980.[14] In 1982, he joined the University of the West Indies as a reader before being promoted to senior lecturer in 1983.[14] He established the Biotechnology Centre through grants from European communities and served as its first director from June 1990 until his retirement in September 2011.[18][19][20][21] During his period in office, Ahmad implemented a regional plan for research, education, and training in plant, animal and fermentation biotechnology alongside aiming to collaborate with Jamaica's private sector to support the application of biotechnology in industry, agriculture and healthcare.[22]

In 1997, he gave a seminar on biotechnology at Nottingham Trent University.[23] He took part in a workshop in biotechnology and bioengineering at the Barbados campus of the University of the West Indies in 1999.[24] In 2002, he led the pathology component of the Citrus Replanting Project of Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, which was completed in 2007. In November 2005, he received the German ambassador to Jamaica Volker Schlegel at the Biotechnology Centre.[25] In 2008, he delivered a guest lecture at the Visva-Bharati University.

Ahmad retired in September 2011 and was succeeded by Marcia Roye as the acting director of the Biotechnology Centre. He was subsequently appointed as professor emeritus in February 2012 by the Finance and General Purposes Committee of the University of the West Indies.[26]

In 2023, the Biotechnology Centre ceased to exist when it was merged with the Natural Products Institute in order to create the Caribbean Centre for Research in Bioscience.[27]

He received the High Commissioner of India to Jamaica Masakui Rungsung at his residence in Kingston in June 2024. In October 2024, following the 62nd Jamaican Independence Day, he was conferred with the Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander for his contribution in Jamaica to the field of agricultural sciences and genetic engineering.[12]

Personal life

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Ahmad married to Nargis Khatoon in 1966 and had two daughters with her. He enjoys reading finance books besides swimming and jogging.[14]

Recognition

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Selected publications

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Articles

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  • Millar, M. K. J., S. M. Mitchell, M. H. Ahmad and K. G. Golden. (2003) Azadirachtin levels of commercial Neem oils and neem seed grown in Jamaica. In: Proceedings of the Sixth Conference of the Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, Mona, Jamaica.
  • Mitchell, S.A. and Ahmad, M.H. 2006a. A Review of Medicinal Plant Research at the University of the West Indies, Jamaica, 1948–2001. West Indies Medical Journal.
  • Mitchell S.A. and M. H. Ahmad (2006) Protecting our medicinal plant heritage: the making of a new national treasure. Jamaica Journal, Institute of Jamaica, Kingston.
  • Mitchell, S. A., and M. H. Ahmad. "Medicinal Plant Biotechnology Research in Jamaica-Challenges and Opportunities." International Symposium on Medicinal and Nutraceutical Plants 756. 2007.
  • Mitchell, Sylvia A., et al. "A journey through the Medicinal Plant Industry of the Caribbean highlighting Mona's Contribution." Caribbean Quarterly 54.3 (2008): 27–51.
  • Abdel‐Tawwab, Mohsen, and Mohammad H. Ahmad. "Live Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) as a growth and immunity promoter for Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.), challenged with pathogenic Aeromonas hydrophila." Aquaculture Research 40.9 (2009): 1037–1046.

References

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  1. ^ Evans, H. J.; Bottomley, P. J.; Newton, William E. (2012-12-06). Nitrogen fixation research progress: Proceedings of the 6th international symposium on Nitrogen Fixation, Corvallis, OR 97331, August 4–10, 1985. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-94-009-5175-4.
  2. ^ Indies, University of the West (2006). Departmental Reports. Jamaica Times (Press).
  3. ^ Canadian Journal of Microbiology. National Research Council of Canada. July 1991.
  4. ^ Publications, Europa (2000). The World of Learning 2001. Europa Publications. ISBN 978-1-85743-084-4.
  5. ^ Jagrist: The Bulletin of the Jamaican Society for Agricultural Sciences (JSAS). JSAS. 1995.
  6. ^ Yadav, A. K. (2007). Proceedings of the International Symposium on Medicinal and Nutraceutical Plants: Macon, Georgia, USA, March 19-23, 2007. ISHS. ISBN 978-90-6605-640-4.
  7. ^ https://www.mona.uwi.edu/sites/default/files/uwi/reports/biotech_6.pdf
  8. ^ "UWI's Biotech Centre is 20". jamaica-gleaner.com. 2010-06-14. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
  9. ^ Aftab, Tariq; Hakeem, Khalid Rehman (2021-03-27). Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Healthcare and Industrial Applications. Springer Nature. p. 303. ISBN 978-3-030-58975-2.
  10. ^ Benn, Denis; Hall, Kenneth (2000). Contending with Destiny: The Caribbean in the 21st Century. Ian Randle Publishers. ISBN 978-976-637-009-1.
  11. ^ "National Honours and Awards". 6 August 2024. Retrieved 2024-11-25 – via PressReader.
  12. ^ a b "The Biotechnology Centre".
  13. ^ "कहलगांव के डॉ. अहमद को जमैका में किया गया सम्मानित". www.bhaskar.com (in Hindi). Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  14. ^ a b c d "Mohammad Hussain Ahmad". prabook.com. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  15. ^ Jamaica), University of the West Indies (Mona (1992). Departmental Reports: Mona. University of the West Indies, Jamaica.
  16. ^ Commonwealth Universities Yearbook. Association of Commonwealth Universities. 1999.
  17. ^ Jamaica), University of the West Indies (Mona (1995). Departmental Reports to Council - University of the West Indies. University of the West Indies, Jamaica.
  18. ^ "UWI's Biotech Centre is 20". jamaica-gleaner.com. 2010-06-14. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
  19. ^ "Back Matter". Caribbean Quarterly. 54 (3). 2008. ISSN 0008-6495. JSTOR 40654691.
  20. ^ Workshop Proceedings Caribbean Biotechnology Agenda for the Valorization of Genetic Resources October -,port-of Spain Trinidad and Tobago. IICA. 1991.
  21. ^ The Agriculturalist. Caribbean Agricultural Communications Services. 2002.
  22. ^ "Bib. Orton IICA / CATIE" – via books.google.co.in.
  23. ^ Indies, University of the West (1997). Departmental Reports. Jamaica Times (Press).
  24. ^ Jamaica), University of the West Indies (Mona (1999). Departmental Reports: Mona. University of the West Indies.
  25. ^ The Library Mona – Year ending July 31, 2006
  26. ^ "The Biotechnology Centre".
  27. ^ "About | Caribbean Centre for Research in Bioscience". www.mona.uwi.edu. Retrieved 2024-11-29.
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