Professor Ali had the distinction of being the first vice chancellor of Mangalore and Goa Universities

MYUSURU — Professor B. Sheikh Ali, a noted historian, scholar, author and educationist, passed away at a private hospital in Mysuru on Thursday after brief Illness. He was the first vice chancellor of Mangalore and Goa Universities.

Dr. Sheikh Ali founded many an educational institution in his lifetime. Prominent among them are Mangalore and Goa University, Sultan Shaheen Education Trust and Moulana Azad Institutions.

His funeral prayers were held at the Mosque in the Muslim Hostel complex in Saraswathipuram on Thursday evening. He left behind a son and a daughter. His wife, a son, and a daughter had passed away in his lifetime.

Born on November 10, 1925, Prof Ali’s academic achievements include a first rank and gold medal in BA (Hons.) at the University of Mysore in 1945 before securing the second rank in MA at the University of Mysore in 1946. He obtained his first PhD. from the Aligarh Muslim University in 1954 and the second from the University of London in 1960.

Dr B Sheikh Ali started his teaching career from the Mysore University as a professor. During his academic career, he successfully debunked the myth that Tipu Sultan was a king with religious zeal and proved that he was a secular patriot. In fact, a major share of his research work relates to the period of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan, the sultans of Mysore.

Prof Ali authored a total of 23 books in English and eight others in Urdu. His works include “History: Its Theory and Method”, “History of the Western Ganges” (Comprehensive History of Karnataka, Volume 1, 1976), University of Mysore, Mysore. ‘Goa Wins Freedom: Reflections and Reminiscences-1986, Goa University’.

He was the general president of the Indian History Congress at its 47th Session in 1986 and the founder president of the South India History Congress in 1985.