Mohamed Zahir Hussain

Dr. Mohamed Zahir Hussain (ޑރ. މުޙައްމަދު ޒާހިރު ޙުސައިން) is the chancellor of the Islamic University of Maldives. He was appointed by the former president, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. He was also the chancellor of Maldives National University and the former Minister of Education as well as the Minister of Youth and Sports of the Maldives. He resigned from the post of Youth Minister in the year 2004 but was again appointed as a senior minister (a special advisor to the president) in 2006 and served in the cabinet of President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom until 2008 presidential election. In 2008, he was conferred the distinguished "Order of Izzuddin" by President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. He is also the Chairman/Owner of the newspaper Haveeru Daily which was established in 1978. His wife was Naalia Ibrahim Kaleyfaan, who died in 2021 while receiving treatment at ADK Hospital. She was a teacher at Aminiya School for 25 years, and the first chancellor of the Islamic University of Maldives. Zahir has three children – Leena Zahir Hussain, Vail Zahir Hussain and Lubna Zahir Hussain.