Rahimtulla Mahomed Sayani (5 April 1847 – 6 June 1902), was an Indian politician who served as the President of the

Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political parties in India, political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first mo ...

for a term in 1896, succeeding Surendranath Banerjea. Rahimtullah M Sayani, born in 1847, belonged to a Khoja Muslim community, who were the disciples of the

Aga Khan Aga Khan (; ; also transliterated as ''Aqa Khan'' and ''Agha Khan'') is a title held by the Imamate in Nizari doctrine, Imām of the Nizari Isma'ilism, Nizari Isma'ilism, Ismāʿīli Shia Islam, Shias. The current holder of the title is the ...

. Rahimtullah M Sayani was western educated, a Lawyer by profession who achieved public eminence and professional excellence, he was elected as a member of the Bombay Municipal Corporation and was the Sheriff of Bombay in 1885, also elected as President of the Corporation in 1888. He was elected twice to the Bombay Legislative Council and was also elected to the

Imperial Legislative Council The Imperial Legislative Council (ILC) was the legislature of British Raj, British India from 1861 to 1947. It was established under the Government of India Act 1858 by providing for the addition of six additional members to the Governor General ...

(1896–1898). He was associated with the Indian National Congress since its inception and was one of the two Indian Muslims who attended its First Session of INC held at Bombay in 1885, where Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee was elected as the first President. In the year 1896 he presided over the 12th Annual Session of the Congress held at Calcutta and also the " Vendemataram" was first sang 1896 at Calcutta. Rahimtullah M Sayani was the second Muslim to serve as president after Badruddin Tyabji. As Congress president, his address to the party was notable for its detailed look on the British rule's economic and financial aspects. He was a member of the Congress Executive Committee (Indian Congress Committee) formed in 1899 as one of the representatives from Bombay. He died at his residence in

Bombay Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...

on 6 June 1902. His grandson,

Ameen Sayani Ameen Sayani (21 December 1932 – 20 February 2024) was an Indian radio announcer. He achieved fame and popularity across the Indian subcontinent when he presented his ''Binaca Geetmala'' programme of hits over the airwaves of Radio Ceylon. H ...

, became a prominent radio announcer in mid 20th-century India.

Quotes

"We should endeavour to promote personal intimacy and friendship amongst all the great communities of India, to develop and consolidate sentiments of national growth and unity, to weld them together into one nationality, to effect a moral union amongst them, to remove the taunt that we are not a nation, but only a congeries of races and creeds which have no cohesion in them and to bring about stronger and stronger friendly ties of common nationality." — From the Presidential Address, I.N.C., - Rahimtulla M. Sayani I.N.C. Session, 1896, Calcutta.

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* Presidents of the Indian National Congress Indian Ismailis 1847 births 1902 deaths Members of the Bombay Legislative Council Politicians from Mumbai Indian National Congress politicians from Maharashtra 20th-century Indian politicians Sheriffs of Mumbai Khoja Ismailis Members of the Imperial Legislative Council of India {{Maharashtra-INC-politician-stub