Buhari Syed Abdur Rahman (15 October 1927 – 7 January 2015) was an Indian

entrepreneur Entrepreneurship is the creation or extraction of economic value. With this definition, entrepreneurship is viewed as change, generally entailing risk beyond what is normally encountered in starting a business, which may include other values t ...

, philanthropist and educationist. He had a range of business interests in the UAE and India (in Tamil Nadu) including maritime shipping, real estate, insurance etc. He founded numerous schools, colleges, hospitals and university. He was one of the 24 Indians to feature in ''

The 500 Most Influential Muslims ''The 500 Most Influential Muslims'' (also known as ''The Muslim 500'') is an annual publication first published in 2009, which ranks the most influential Muslims in the world. The publication is compiled by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies ...

'', an annual publication which ranks the most influential Muslims in the world. Abdur Rahman was the Vice-Chairperson of Emirates Trading Agency (commonly known as

ETA Star Eta (uppercase , lowercase ; grc, ἦτα ''ē̂ta'' or ell, ήτα ''ita'' ) is the seventh letter of the Greek alphabet, representing the close front unrounded vowel . Originally denoting the voiceless glottal fricative in most dialects, ...

) and Ascon Group, a Dubai-based conglomerate from 1973 to 2015. He is the founder of

B. S. Abdur Rahman University B.S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science and Technology, formerly B. S. Abdur Rahman University, is a private university located in Tamil Nadu, India. Previously, functioning under University of Madras (1984–2001) and Anna University (2 ...

(earlier named Crescent Engineering College), one of the first private owned engineering colleges in Chennai. He was the Chairman of East Coast Constructions and Industries, West Asia Exports and Imports, West Asia Maritime, Buhari Group, Amana Investments in Hong Kong and Transcar India. He was also the Vice-Chairman of Coal & Oil and Coastal Energy. He founded India's first stand-alone health insurer

Star Health and Allied Insurance Star Health and Allied Insurance Co Ltd is an Indian multinational health insurance Health insurance or medical insurance (also known as medical aid in South Africa) is a type of insurance that covers the whole or a part of the risk of a per ...

with the help of

Oman Insurance Company Sukoon Insurance previously known as Oman Insurance Company (Arabic: شركة عُمان للتأمين "سكون" ش.م.ع) is a composite insurance company headquartered in Dubai, UAE that sells insurance for individuals and businesses in UAE an ...

. East Coast Constructions and Industries, founded in 1962, built several landmarks in Chennai including

Gemini Flyover Anna Flyover, also known as Gemini Flyover, is a dual-armed grade separator in the central business district of Chennai, India. Built in 1973 and dubbed one of the top-rated flyovers in the country, it is Asia's First Grade Separator, the firs ...

, Kodambakkam Flyover,

Chepauk Stadium M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, commonly known as the Chepauk Stadium, is a cricket stadium in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Established in 1916, it is the second oldest cricket stadium in the country after Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Formerly known as Ma ...

Chennai Citi Centre The Chennai Citi Centre is a shopping mall in Mylapore, Chennai, India. It opened on 3 March 2006 and is located on Radhakrishnan Salai. According to Cushman and Wakefield, a global real estate consultancy firm, it is one of the most expensive s ...

Government General Hospital Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital is a major state-owned hospital situated in Chennai, India. The hospital is funded and managed by the state government of Tamil Nadu. Founded in 1664 by the British East India Company, it is the first moder ...

Valluvar Kottam Valluvar Kottam ( ta, வள்ளுவர் கோட்டம்) is a monument in Chennai, dedicated to the classical Tamil poet philosopher Valluvar. It is the city’s biggest Tamil cultural centre. Location Valluvar Kottam is located a ...

, the Marina Lighthouse,"Madras miscellaney"
''The Hindu''. 5 November 2001. Retrieved 7 January 2015. Apollo Hospital complex (Greams Road) and the Omandurar hospital. He died on 7 January 2015 at the age of 87. Abdur Rahman pursued a number of philanthropic endeavors, donating large amounts of money to various charitable organisations and concentrates on upliftment of economically weaker sections through the Seethakathi Trust & Zakaat Fund Foundation.

Early life

B. S. Abdur Rahman was born in

Kilakarai Kilakarai (alternatively spelled Kilakkarai or Keelakarai) is a municipality in Ramanathapuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. As of 2011, the town had a population of 38,355. Kilakarai is one of the Taluka in Ramanathapuram D ...

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil languag ...

India India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...

, in a middle-class

Marakkar Marakkar/Maricar/Marecar/Marikkar/Markiyar/Marican/Marecan (Malayalam:Marakkar; Tamil: Marrakayar)(Sinhalese: Marakkala), is a South Asian Muslim community found in parts of the Indian states of Kerala (The Malabar Coast), Tamil Nadu (the Pal ...

family, the son of Bhukari Aalim. His father was a prominent Pearl Trader in South Asia. He completed his Secondary School Level at Schwartz School,

Ramanathapuram Ramanathapuram (), also known as Ramnad, is a town and a municipality in Ramanathapuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of Ramanathapuram district and the second largest town (by population) i ...

& Hameedia High School,

. He was blessed with four sons and two daughters. He started his business in Sri Lanka with his elder brother Abdul Kader prominently called Thaika Vapa in Tamil Nadu. He had a sister and after her accidental death B.S. Abdul Rahman started a Women's College in his sister's name

Thassim Beevi Abdul Kader College for Women Thassim Beevi Abdul Kader College for Women is a women's general degree college located in Kilakarai, Tamil Nadu. It was established in the year 1988. The college is affiliated with Alagappa University Alagappa University is a public univer ...

in his home town. He has started so many schools and colleges in Tamil Nadu.

Business career

At the age of fifteen, Abdur Rahman first went to Colombo with just 149. He worked as an errand boy for diamond merchants. He was at the time staying at rent-free accommodation with traders from Kilakarai but he had to fetch tea for them from a nearby hotel, clean the rooms and perform other menial tasks. A lesser person perhaps would have thrown in the towel. But Sena Aana was made of sterner stuff. Before long, he used his persuasive skills to obtain gemstones on credit from another merchant and began trading in them. In time he became a successful gem trader. The base that Abdur Rahman built in Ceylon was to help him in all his future activities. He began visiting Belgium, then as now, a centre of the gem trade, the USA, South America and set up business in Penang, Malaysia, Madras (now Chennai), Kolkata (then Calcutta), and then in Hong Kong. It was in Hong Kong that his business flourished. Incidentally, Abdur Rahman was the first person from Kilakarai to go to Hong Kong. BSA with Former Indian PM

In Hong Kong he launched the Precious Trading Company in 1954. Later, his very special brainchild, the Amana Group of Hong Kong, was established. It was under its banner that the multi-national company ETA-Ascon came into existence. BSA Rahman is credited as production facilitator in MGR Pictures' ''

Ulagam Sutrum Valiban ''Ulagam Sutrum Valiban'' () is a 1973 Indian Tamil-language science fiction film directed and co-produced by M. G. Ramachandran. The film stars Ramachandran, Chandrakala, Manjula and Latha. It revolves around a scientist who discovers an ...

'' for film shoot in Hong Kong. ETA Group was started in Dubai in 1973 as a partnership with a friend, Abdullah Al-Ghurair, Chairman of the

Al Ghurair Group Al Ghurair Group ( ar, مجموعة سيف الغرير), also known as Saif Al Ghurair Group, is a Dubai, United Arab Emirates-based business group founded by the Al Ghurair family. A diverse conglomerate, it has operations in the Middle East, N ...

of companies. The global asset bubble triggered by Nixon Shock catapulted him into a rupee billionaire in the 1970s; and diversification made him a dollar billionaire by the 1990s. Originally a civil construction contractor, ETA-Ascon expanded into trading, elevator and electrical installations, real estate, mechanical engineering, building maintenance, car dealerships, and, most recently, shipping and aviation. It employs over 54,000 people across 16 industry verticals. ETA-Ascon is today the flagship of BSA Rahman's vast industrial empire.

Contribution in education

Abdur Rahman felt that education is the key that opens the solutions to the socio-economic problems of the society. Hence he founded the following institutions through which all his educational and literacy activities are carried out. * The Seethakathi Trust * All India Islamic Foundation * B.S. Abdur Rahman University * Thassim Beevi Abdul Kader College for Women * Islamic Studies & Cultural Centre * B.S. Abdur Rahman Zakat Foundation Trust

Board memberships

Apart from ETA, Abdur Rahman held the following positions in other companies : *Chairman, Buhari Holding (P) Ltd., Chennai *Chairman, ABR Enterprises (P) Ltd., Chennai *Chairman, West Asia Maritime Ltd., Chennai *Chairman, West Asia Exports & Imports Pvt Ltd., Chennai *Chairman, East Coast Constructions & Industries (P) Ltd., Chennai *Chairman, Sethu Investments Pvt Ltd., Chennai

Philanthropy

Youth welfare activities

Abdur Rahman felt that a sound mind in a sound body is a healthy trend of development of the youth in this country. Hence much importance is being given to NSS, NCC, Scouts and other youth activities in all his institutions. Hence to promote sports activities and to imbibe sports culture in the minds of youngsters, he constructed and donated a stadium with all facilities for indoor games, gymnasium and a gallery to Tamil Nadu Govt. under the purview of Sports Authority of Tamil Nadu during 1997. The stadium was inaugurated by Anbazhagan, Minister of Education, in the presence of Dhanushkodi Athithan, Minister of State.

Economical support works

Abdur Rahman was the founder of United Economic Forum through which he organized a number of economic development activities and encouraged social work.

Orphanages

Abdur Rahman has founded and financially aided the following orphanages : * Al-Mumin Seethakathi Children Home, Sakkaraikottai,

District * Al-Mumin Umar Pulavar Children Hoome,

Ottapidaram Ottapidaram is a small town in Thoothukudi district and headquarters of Ottapidaram taluk. Ottapidaram is a tourism centre with accessibility to many places in Tamil Nadu. Thoothukudi or Tirunelveli can be easily accessed from anywhere and Ot ...

, V.O.C. District * Al-Mumin Shahul Hameed (Wali) Children Home,

Thanjavur Thanjavur (), also Tanjore, Pletcher 2010, p. 195 is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is the 11th biggest city in Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is an important center of South Indian religion, art, and architecture. Most of the ...

, Thanjavur District * Al-Mumin K.T.M.S. Hamid Children Home (Girls),

, Ramnad District * Al-Mumin Malik Dinar Children Home (Girls),

Thiruvithancode Thiruvithamcode (also spelled Thiruvithancode), is a small panchayat town located in the Kanyakumari district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Thiruvithamcode is about 20 km from Nagercoil and 2 km from Thuckalay. History ...

Awards and honours

In recognition of his services in the field of education, business, health care, social service and communal harmony, the

Sathyabama University Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology (SIST), formerly Sathyabama University, is a deemed to be university, situated at Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It was founded in 1987 as Sathyabama Engineering College by the late Jeppiaar and re ...

has conferred an Honorary Doctorate on him in 2005."Honorary Doctorate by Sathyabama University"
''The Hindu''. Retrieved 7 January 2015.

Gallery

File:bsaiyer.jpg, Congress MP - Mr.Mani Shankar Aiyar