Vellore, Tamil Nadu :

Veteran social activist, M M Basheer Ahmed, of Vaniyambadi passed away on Wednesday morning in a private hospital after a brief illness at the age of 92.

He is survived by his daughter Munavara Sultana. Basheer lived alone after the death of his wife Badrunisa some 22 years ago.

N Mohamed Nayeem of Vaniyambadi Muslim Educational Society recounted Basheer as a down-to-earth social worker who made himself available any time for a social cause without expecting anything in return. He lived his life championing the cause of people and commanded respect from all sections of society.

Basheer was associated with the management of several mosques in the region and ensured that poorer sections of the community benefited.

The humanitarian society he established in Vaniyambadi promoted blood donation, voluntary service and communal harmony through which he was able to influence a large number of youngsters to take up social work, Nayeem said.

Basheer initiated Palar Protection Movement, an NGO, in the 1980s, to create awareness about the deterioration of the eco-system of the river.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by V. NarayanaMurthi / June 18th, 2015