In a tragic event the Press Secretary to former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, SM Khan, passed away in New Delhi on Sunday. His age was 67.
Khan has had a wide range of experience in serving in several government bodies such as the CBI where he served as a spokesperson from 1989 to 2002 and he retired as an officer of the Indian Information services. Khan is a 1982-batch IIS officer. He met his demise in a private hospital located in Saket, New Delhi. The burial will take place on Monday afternoon at the family graveyard located in Khujra (Bulandshahr,U.P) the family said.
He became the Press Secretary to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam in 2002 and served till 2007. He is also credited with writing a book called, “The People’s President” which narrates his experience of working with Dr Kalam.
The Background and Academic Accomplishments of Khan
Khan hails from a practicing lawyer family. He was born on 15 June 1957, in Khurja, Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh. He obtained his academic qualifications from Aligarh Muslim University, LLB and LLM. The Chancellor’s Gold Medal was bestowed upon Khan for his outstanding performance in academics. He later graduated in Economics from the University of Wales.
Brilliant Career in Public Life
He served CBI with distinction in 1989 to 2002. Khan remained as its prominent public face leading the agency through such major cases for 13 years. He invariably provided great support during some of the agency’s most essential trials.
Leading Doordarshan and Community Engagement
He served as the Director General (News) at Doordarshan, the public broadcaster of India, after leaving the CBI, where his leadership over the news content was pivotal during his tenure. Besides professional successes, Khan also served as vice president and trustee of the India Islamic and Cultural Centre in Delhi as a testimony to his serious approach towards service in society.
Positions Held at Aligarh Muslim University
Khan remained associated with Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) way beyond his student days. He was an active member of the AMU Court and was nominated by the President of India to the university’s Executive Council, where he sat as a representative, underlining his continued commitment towards education.
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