Dr M Manzoor Alam, the founder and chairman of the think tank Institute of Objective Studies (IOS) headquartered in Okhla, passed away on Tuesday at 5:30 am at the age of 80, after being hospitalised at Max Hospital. He will be laid to rest today at the Shaheen Bagh graveyard after Maghrib prayer.
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A deeply humble and self-effacing scholar, Dr Alam founded the IOS in 1986 with a clear vision to bring together intellectuals on one platform who could guide the community with knowledge, reason, and ethical clarity. Over the years, IOS, a research organisation and NGO that holds consultative status (Roster) with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, grew into a nationally respected institution, establishing branches across India and earning global recognition for its academic work.
Dr Alam (1945-2026)
Born on October 9, 1945, in Rampur, Madhubani district of Bihar, to late Abdul Jaleel, Dr Alam was a well-built, medium-height, soft-spoken polymath who carried his vast knowledge with quiet grace. He loved reading and reflection, often spending his leisure time with books. He earned his PhD from Aligarh Muslim University and developed deep expertise in Islamic economics and finance.
Before devoting himself fully to social and intellectual service, Dr Manzoor Alam worked internationally with distinction. He served as an Economic Advisor to the Ministry of Finance, Saudi Arabia, and was an Associate Professor of Islamic Economics at Imam Muhammad bin Saud University in Riyadh. He also held several key academic and institutional roles, including Chief Coordinator for the translation of the Qur’an at the King Fahd Printing Complex in Madinah, Chief Representative of India at the International Islamic University, Malaysia, and an active member of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Scholarship Programme Committee.
Widely regarded as an authority on Muslim socio-economic and political issues, Dr Manzoor Alam led IOS to produce extensive research over the decades. The institute published thousands of books and research papers and organised numerous national and international seminars, covering subjects ranging from economics and social justice to minority rights and Muslim empowerment. He also founded the All India Milli Council with the aim of bringing ulema on one platform, and was associated with the Islamic Fiqh Academy.
Dr Alam’s IOS: A Hub for scholars, Muslim thinkers
Guided by Dr Alam’s vision, IOS emerged as a beacon of thought, drawing leading scholars and prominent Muslim intellectuals. These included the 26th Chief Justice of India, Aziz Mushabber Ahmadi; former Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, Rajinder Sachar; Abusaleh Shariff, Executive Director and Chief Scholar at the US-India Policy Institute, Washington, DC; senior journalist Ziayul Haque; Raju Mansukhani; and many others from across India and overseas.
Dr Alam remained deeply engaged with leading Muslim intellectuals and reformers across the world, including Prof Ismail Raji Faruqi, Dr Abdullah Al-Mutawakkil, Prof Umar Kasoli, and Dr Abdul Hamid Abu Sulayman, among others. Among his notable writings, “The Final Wakeup Call” stands out for its strong emphasis on media freedom, global narratives, and the voices of marginalised communities, urging the creation of platforms for those often left unheard.
Speaking during the 25th Year Silver Jubilee Celebrations of IOS in 2011, Dr Alam said: “We hope you will appreciate our endeavour to involve and bring together a wide spectrum of academicians, intellectuals, ulema, legislators, mediapersons, opinion-makers and civil society activists from India and all over the world. They have been regularly participating in the international conferences, seminars, workshops, lecture-series and book release functions we have organised since 1987. Our efforts to build meaningful bridges between the intellectuals and leaders, on the one hand, and the grassroot-level activists, on the other, have continued to gain momentum. We have been vision-inspired to create and build a humane society: the thoughts, ideas, concepts, publications and road-maps that have emerged through the IOS programs have encouraged us to keep on forging ahead.”
Dr Alam’s unfulfilled dreams
Despite his many achievements, Dr Alam carried some unfulfilled dreams. He aspired to establish a full-fledged university in Palwal in Haryana and a media house that could present the Muslim perspective with intellectual honesty and independence. In this direction, he ventured into the media by launching the news agency FANA, with M Siraj as its editor. Although the agency later closed, it became a training ground for several young Muslim journalists, many of whom later joined mainstream media and rose through the ranks.
Later on with television emerging as a powerful medium of communication, he also planned to launch a news channel. However, the project could not secure a licence during the Congress-led government at the Centre, and the long-standing aspiration of Muslims to have a strong media platform to tell their own neglected stories remained unfulfilled.
Dr Alam shared close ties with senior Congress political leader Ahmed Patel and counted Malaysia’s President Anwar Ibrahim among his friends. He was close to Sheila Dikshit, former Delhi Chief Minister and Congress leader.
Condolences pour in
Dr Manzoor Alam’s passing has been mourned across the world by scholars, students, admirers, and colleagues who worked closely with him. Veteran journalist Shahid Siddiqui wrote: “The demise of Dr Manzoor Alam is a monumental loss for the community and the nation, yet his pioneering work in fundamental research, educational bridge-building, and madrasa modernisation will continue to inspire and empower future generations towards progress and development.”
Dr Alam’s son, Mohammad Alam, wrote: “With a deep heart, this is to inform you that my father Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam passed away today at Max Hospital, New Delhi this early morning.”
As age and illness took their toll, Dr Manzoor Alam gradually withdrew from public life, meeting only close friends and family at his Shaheen Bagh residence, where he lived with his family. In his later years, his sons took over the reins of the Institute of Objective Studies (IOS). Dr Alam had been unwell for several years, and just a few months ago, a book celebrating his achievements was released. Now, his elder son Mohammad Alam is General Secretary of IOS.
Alam is survived by his wife, five sons, and two daughters.
Dr Manzoor Alam’s life was devoted to knowledge, service, and the empowerment of the Ummah. While some dreams remained unrealised, his intellectual legacy and institutional contributions will continue to guide generations to come.
