Syed Hamid, an eminent Indian educationist and diplomat, was born on 28th March 1920 in Faizabad to Syed Mehdi Hasan and Sitarah Shahjahan Begum. His family traced its roots to Moradabad, a city known for its cultural and literary heritage. Syed Mehdi Hasan, his father, possessed a deep interest in history, literature, and Islamic education, which undoubtedly influenced his son’s intellectual pursuits.  

Syed Hamid’s early education took place at Moradabad Inter College, where he completed his sixth grade in 1931. Following his father’s employment in the Estate of Rampur, the family relocated there, but their stay lasted merely a year before they returned to Moradabad. He completed his Intermediate (12th grade) from the same institution in 1937, laying the foundation for a distinguished academic and administrative career. He subsequently enrolled at Aligarh Muslim University, where he pursued a BA and MA in English. His academic inclinations did not cease there, as he went on to enroll for a second Master’s degree in Persian.  

Fate, however, had other plans. In 1943, even before completing his second MA, Syed Hamid was selected for Uttar Pradesh’s Provincial Civil Services (PCS). Despite the demands of his professional responsibilities, he persevered in his academic aspirations and successfully completed his MA in Persian in 1947—the year India gained independence. The following phase of his career saw him join the prestigious Indian Administrative Services (IAS) in 1949. Over the years, he occupied several key positions in the bureaucratic framework of both Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, contributing significantly to governance and policy-making. From 1976 to 1980, he served as the founding chairman of the Staff Selection Commission, a role that underscored his administrative acumen.  

Retiring from active bureaucratic service in 1980, Syed Hamid was appointed Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University in June of the same year. His tenure lasted the full five years, during which he played a pivotal role in shaping the university’s academic and administrative landscape. Beyond his contributions to AMU, his commitment to education led him to establish Hamdard Public School in New Delhi in 1993, a testament to his unwavering belief in the transformative power of knowledge.  

In 1999, he assumed the position of Chancellor at Hamdard University, Delhi, further solidifying his reputation as an academic visionary. His involvement in the intellectual and educational spheres extended beyond institutional roles, as he served on numerous significant committees. Notably, he was a key member of the management committee of the Darul Musannefin Shibli Academy in Azamgarh, an institution dedicated to research and scholarship.  

Syed Hamid breathed his last on 29th December 2014 in New Delhi. His contributions, however, continue to resonate in the institutions he nurtured and the policies he shaped. In a fitting tribute to his legacy, the Senior Secondary School Boys of Aligarh Muslim University was renamed Syed Hamid Senior Secondary School Boys in 2015. Furthermore, the central library of Maulana Azad National Urdu University in Hyderabad stands as a permanent homage to his memory, bearing his name as the Syed Hamid Central Library.