A Tribute to Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry Saheb

Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry Saheb

(1933-2011)

khaleeqrahman@gmail.com

Haazaron saal Nargis Apni be noori pe Roti hein,

Badi Mushkil se hota hai Chaman mein Deedawar Paida….

For a thousand years the narcissus has been lamenting its blindness;
With great difficulty the one with true vision is born in the garden,

Allama Iqbal says and this truly applies to

Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb’s personality.

Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb was born on February 23, 1933 in Sahespur Village of Bijnor District in Western Uttar Pradesh. The Journey from 1933 to 2011 has been remarkable with  full of achievements, accomplishments, and satisfaction. For a person who is born in a small village and then migrating to New Delhi, which is an ocean and making a place for himself in that ocean, leaving his marks in the society with a strong message for the young generation on the importance of education, is something which very few blessed ones can get in this world.  

A multifaced personality with a heart for the poor and needy. A true lover of urdu prose and poetry.  He was very well known and respected figure in the country's Logistics, Literary, Educational, Social and Political circles. For him the meaning of life was not just living for himself but for serving the less privileged of the society. He led his life by example. He was somebody who ruled the hearts of people and was always so kind with his employees and was known for his generosity.

Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb at his office

After migrating to Delhi in the year 1951, he started his career by working in the Northern Railways as the Railway Booking clerk and then got a job in a transport company “Green Transport Company” that’s where he gained experience in the transport industry. The entrepreneur within him never slept and always kept reminding him that he has to do something big and then he started his own Transport company called "GREEN ROADLINES" in 1971 which is having the pan India presence today and is one of the most trusted names in the logistic industry of our country. He built up the empire with his hard work, dedication and vision. He  has re-defined the meaning of logistics in India. His sincerity, honesty and integrity has made the Green Roadlines as one of the most sought after logistic companies in the country. Then he went on opening the branches in Mumbai, Indore, Kolkotta, Jaipur, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad. This is a success story and a research stuff for somebody who would like to dig and find out how can a small transport company which was started in a streets of Sadar Bazar of Old Delhi could become the India's one of the leading transport companies. This is through sheer hard work, believing in one self and the faith in Allah and thats what all Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhary saheb had and success touched his feet and he kept the success there and never let it travel to his head. 

Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb with the Grand Children-A through family man

During his initial days of struggle in Delhi, he stayed in a single room on the sharing basis alongwith Janab Noorul Hasan Naqvi, Janab Iqbal Abbas, Janab Hafeez Abbasi and Janab Ansarul Haq who became his close friends. The bonding among these friends was so strong that they were there for each other in all their goods and bads and Janab Iqbal saheb was always the darling among his friends. “A friend in need is a friend indeed” how truly is applies to the character of Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb. Inspite of the days of struggle and the pressures of his professional pursuits, his love and passion for education never let him discontinue his studies and rather he pursued his higher education and completed the pre-graduate course then he joined B.A. Urdu in Jamia Millia University while working as a Railway booking Clerk. He worked with the Railways for 9 long years from 1951-1960. He was the Chairman of the World Educational Development Organisation, Delhi. He always believed in the importance of the education and established the New Horizan School as its Patron and the founding member in 1981 as a primary school in the East Nizamuddin colony, New Delhi. With his hard work, interest and commitment, the school has seen a tremendous growth and success and is now upto 12^th standard with the present strength of more than 1500 students. He strongly believed in the saying that if one needs to conquer the world, then one needs to be educated. He also believed very strongly that one needs to keep pace with the technology and keeping that in mind and his love for his native place in his heart took him to Sahespur to start Iqbal Educational and Social Trust in 2003 where computer education and training is given free of cost to the children specially the girls and the adults. He was a messiah for the people of Sahespur and for every issue of the sahespur people, they always used to look upto him and Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb used to very affectionately resolve the issues of the people of Sahespur and Bijnor. He was such a generous person that he quietly used to help the needy from his village financially which even his family members were not aware of. This fact came to my knowledge when I recently visited Sahespur in connection with the election.

I have known him for many years and he was a fatherly figure for me. He has left an impeccable impression on my life and loved me as his son. He was very soft spoken and was always concerned about the well being of others. He very strongly believed in the educational empowerment of the society which is evident from the establishment of the New Horizan School in New Delhi which is considered as one of the best schools in Delhi where urdu as a language is mandatory. He was a true urdu lover and served the urdu community in a great manner by encouraging the poets and writers assisting them to publish their poetry and the work and also helped them financially. He championed the cause of the education and never believed in the self promotion or publicity. He had organized many mushairas and was the live wire of many literary activities. Shri Shanker Dayal Sharma, the then President of India used to invite Janab Iqbal Chaudhry saheb in the mushairas at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and they both shared a very special bonding and friendship.

Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb, Dilp Kumar saheb and others

Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb speaking at the function

Among his close associates and friends were Janab Yousuf Khan saheb (Dilip Kumar), Janab Kaifi Azmi saheb, Janab Javed Akhter saheb, Janab Shafi Qureishi saheb and Janab Arif Mohammed Khan saheb. He sometimes used to write the poetry and read that in the selected mushairas. He figured in the historic book called “Bijnor ke Jawahar”. There are only nine persons who have figured in this book for their services during the last fifty years.

Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb and Dilip Kumar saheb

Hyderabad has always been very close to his heart. He had substantial business interest in Hyderabad and his youngest son Mr.Parvez Chaudhry lives in the city of pearls which is famous in attracting the gems. Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb loved the Ganga Jamuni culture of Hyderabad. He had few very close friends here and among them are Janab Mohd.Khaleelur Rahman saheb Ex.M.P., Janab Abdullah Patni saheb, a renowned Transporter and the owner of Batco Roadways, and Mr.Mangal Singh Sarna, Janab MY Khan saheb who was his business associate when Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb first came to Hyderabad and the relation grew so strong that Janab Chaudhury saheb fell in love with this place. He always used to look forward to visiting Hyderabad especially for its literary and the poetic activities. He attended many mushairas alongwith Janab Khaleelur Rahman saheb and Janab Dr.Syed Abdul Mannan saheb in urdu Hall Himayat Nagar.

He had very good friends in almost everywhere in the country. In Hyderabad, his client who later became his good friend is the Promoter of Fenoplast, Shri.Haridas Kishen saheb. Like wise in Mumbai he had a brother like friend Shri Sohan Lal Sachdeva ji, in Kolkotta Shri Malhotra ji, in Jaipur Shri Joginder ji and in Indore Shri Seth Tarachand ji. These are some of the names who treated Janab Iqbal Chaudhry saheb more than a member of their families. He just not believed in secularism but practiced it in his real life too.

His role in the elections of former Indian Captain Mohammed Azharuddin has been very active but silent. Sitting in Delhi, he ran the telecampaign for Mr.Mohd.Azharuddin and I remember, when I first shared the news of Mr.Mohd.Azharuddin contesting from Moradabad, he felt so happy and when Mr.Mohd.Azharuddin visited Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb to seek his blessings after getting the Congress party ticket from Moradabad, Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb told him "Beta fikr mat karo, tum jeet gaye hai" and thats what exactly happened. That was his prediction for which he did his part of mobilising the support in Mr.Mohd.Azharuddin's favour in the entire Moradabad Parliamentary Constituency. He is such a popular figure in Moradabad Constituency and I must say that he just simply did’nt rule the hearts of the people but he lives there in their hearts today also.

Some of his memorable pictures

He breathed his last on March 27, 2011 in New Delhi at his East Nizamuddin residence. He left behind my aunty who is a very pious and strong woman. As there is a saying that behind every man’s success, there is a sacrifice and encouragement of a woman and my aunty palyed a very important role in the success of Uncle Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb. He has three sons very able, dynamic and kind hearted Mr.Sultan Iqbal Chaudhry, Mr.Javed Iqbal  Chaudhry, Mr.Parvez Iqbal Chaudhry and a daughter Ms.Tabassum Manzar. Mr.Sultan Chaudhry looks after his transport business of Delhi Branch and is also socially very active and inherited the spirit of social service in his legacy of his legendry father. He is also the trustee and the board member of the New Horizan School, New Delhi. Mr.Javeed Iqbal Chaudhry lives in Chennai and looks after the transport business. The youngest and the dearest of all Mr.Parvez Iqbal Chaudhry  lives in Hyderabad and is a socially and politically very active person.

People come and people go but some come and leave their marks with a very strong message for the  humanity. I pray to Allah swt to grant the highest place in Jannah to Uncle Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb…Ameen

Guzar Ja Ban Ke Seel-E-Tund Ro Koh-E-Byaban Se
Gulistan Rah Mein Aye To Joo’ay Naghma Khawan Ho Ja

Pass like a river in full spate through the mountains and the deserts;
If the garden should come your way, then become a melodiously singing stream.