NEW DELHI: Renowned Islamic thinker and founder of the Institute of Objective Studies (IOS), Dr Muhammad Manzoor Alam, passed away in Delhi on Tuesday at the age of 80.
Born on October 9, 1945, in Rampur, Madhubani district of Bihar, and earned his doctorate in economics from Aligarh Muslim University. He had an illustrious career, serving as an economic advisor in Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Finance and as an Associate Professor in the Department of Islamic Economics at the University of Imam Mohammad-bin-Saud in Riyadh.
He also served as the general secretary of the All India Milli Council and the president of the Muslim Social Sciences Association. He was also a former vice-chancellor of the Kashmir University.
The news of Dr Alam’s death is not merely the loss of an individual, but the end of a long and meaningful intellectual journey marked by quiet determination, moral clarity and sustained service to the community.
Dr. Alam was a distinguished scholar, an accomplished economist, and a visionary institution-builder. Yet his most enduring legacy lies in his selfless commitment to public life and community welfare, and in setting up the Institute of Objective Studies in Delhi.
He believed knowledge should serve justice, human dignity, and the rights of marginalized communities. Without seeking attention or acclaim, he built institutions, encouraged serious research, and created platforms that nurtured dialogue, inclusion, and principled engagement.
He spoke sparingly, but his words carried insight shaped by experience and reflection. He listened with care, especially to younger scholars, and consistently encouraged them to pursue learning with integrity and social responsibility.
Even in his later years, despite declining health, his intellectual presence remained strong. When possible, his quiet participation in public and academic forums continued to offer guidance and reassurance.
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