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T. Abdul Wahid
Janab T.Abdul Wahid is the founder of T.Abdul Wahid Group of companies.

Janab T. Abdul Wahid Sahib’s life was a rich tapestry encompassing the educational field, a distinguished sojourn in politics with an outstanding term as Member of Parliament, and philanthropy at its modest best.

Born in 1910 in Ambur in the Thadey family, which was popular throughout North Arcot District for its wealth and generosity, Mr. Wahid had his elementary education from Mazharul Uloom High School, Ambur, which was originally founded by his Uncle Janab T. Abdullah Sahib.

He joined High School in Madras-e-Azam, Madras. Later he completed his intermediate from Islamic College, Vaniyambadi and joined Mohammedan College, Madras for his Bachelor of Arts course. Later he completed the Bachelor of law from Law College, Madras. Even in his early school days when he was around 12 years, he was enthusiastic in the khilafath and non-cooperation movement and gave a brilliant and powerful extempore speech in one of the meetings. The audience were all pleased and they carried Mr. Wahid on the shoulders. Since then whenever public meetings were held, Mr. Wahid was given an opportunity by elders to give speeches. This gave him big popularity.

After education Mr. Wahid had the opportunity to serve in the Government services as panchayat officer and later he became the municipal commissioner of Priyan Kundam Municipality. After serving 2-3 years, Mr.Wahid joined the Leather trade as trade secretary of the Southern India Skin and Hides Merchants Association (SISHMA) which later became the AISHTMA. During this period, in this capacity he used to make frequent trips to Delhi representing the needs of the trade. In 1949, Mr.Wahid established his tanning business first in Pallavaram, Madras, later in Ranipet and then shifted his operation to Ambur, where his business grew into large volume and he became one of the leading leather exporters of India.

In mid 1970’s he decided to establish the first shoe upper factory in the state. In those days, shoe industry was non-existent in Tamilnadu. With contacts in Delhi and Agra, he brought 15 skilled workers along with 2 experienced supervisors to Ambur. This team imparted shoe-making training to the women in the factory.

When he decided to start the shoe business, he also decided to give employment opportunity to only women in the shoe factory. There were objections from his own community for bringing the Muslim ladies to the factory environment. But he firmly withstood all those oppositions and went on expanding his shoe upper manufacturing activities to help all the women of Ambur Town. Today almost all the factories in North Arcot District, employ women and as many as 16,000 women are working in the shoe factories in the region.

Mr.Wahid felt the need for a Modern English Medium School in the town as well as those who had migrated to Ambur to work in tanneries and shoe factories. With this in mind, he founded the T.Abdul Wahid Charitable Foundation, and under its auspices, constructed most modern and spacious buildings to accommodate kindergarten, elementary school, high school and higher secondary schools for boys and girls separately. With strength of 1200 it has the distinction of maintaining a record of 100% first class results in the Xth and XIIth Standard examinations.

The foundation also constructed a Girl’s home at the Anjuman-e-Himayath e-Islam, and residential apartments at Ambur which are leased out on subsidised rents.

Mr.Wahid’s concern for the educational emancipation of the community was no secret. He was among the founding fathers of the Muslim Educational Association of Southern India which runs the New College and number of allied institutions, and the Southern India Education Trust which runs the SIET college for women and the JBAS matriculation school. He also headed various other educational and social institutions notable among them being the Anjuman-e Himayath-e-Islam, which runs the boys and girls orphanages.

All in all, Mr.Wahid led a full and meaningful life culminating in his sad demise on 5th October 1998. However the empire he had created, the T.Abdul Wahid Group of Companies, has completed it's Golden Jubilee.