Prof Abdul Qayyum Siddiqui’s demise mourned at AMU


ALIGARH : The faculty members, research scholars and students at the Department of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University mourned the sad demise of Prof Abdul Qayyum Siddiqui, a retired faculty member of the department, who left for heavenly abode on January 13, 2025.
Expressing deep sorrows at a condolence meeting held in the department, the Chairperson, Prof Qudsia Tahseen conveyed heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Prof Siddiqui, adding that his passing away has left a deep void in the lives of many which cannot be filled ever.
She said that Prof Siddiqui was an iconic and highly disciplined teacher, passionate researcher and a great mentor, and he impacted the lives of several students through his guidance and patronage.
Born on Jun 15, 1937 at Banethu, District Santkabir Nagar, UP, Prof. Siddiqui did his M.Sc., Ph.D. and D.Sc. from AMU and joined the Department of Zoology as a lecturer in 1964. He completed his PhD under the supervision of iconic scientist, Padam Bhushan Dr. Zahoor Qasim.
He left an indelible mark on the studies of fisheries in the department and initiated research in several disciplines of fisheries, including limnology, haematology and other biochemical taxonomy. He guided several PhD scholars during his tenure, including Late Prof. Jamil Ahmad Khan, Late Prof. Asif Ali Khan and Dr. Absarul Hasnain.
Prof Siddiqui later joined Kenyatta University College, Nairobi and apart from teaching, he received grants from various funding agencies to work on water bodies there. Then he moved to King Faisal University, Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia as Professor and Dean, Life Sciences and finally settled in Indiana State, US by the end of 1999.
He is survived by his only daughter Saba Husain, son in law Shariq Husain, and grandchildren Omar and Alina.