Jamia Hamdard University, New Delhi

The origins of Jamia Hamdard trace back to 1906, when Hakeem Hafiz Abdul Majeed, a renowned practitioner of the Unani system of medicine, established a modest clinic with a profound mission: to transform Unani medicine into a scientific discipline that could serve patients more effectively. He named his venture “Hamdard”, meaning “sympathy for all and sharing of pain.” His son, Hakeem Abdul Hameed, carried forward this vision in post-independence India. Even during the turbulent times of partition in 1947, he remained committed to creating a network of institutions that would celebrate Islamic contributions to Indian civilization and advance Unani medicine. On 28 August 1948 (22 Shawwal, 1367 Hijri), Hamdard transitioned from a commercial enterprise into a Wakfa charitable trust dedicated to public welfare through health and education, in accordance with Islamic principles. In 1964, the Hamdard National Foundation was established to channel the profits from Hamdard (Wakf) Laboratories into philanthropic initiatives focused on education, medical relief, and knowledge advancement.

To realize his dream of a comprehensive educational and research complex, Hakeem Abdul Hameed acquired land in Tughlaqabad, South Delhi, then a sparsely populated area. Over the years, he founded several pioneering institutions; 1962: Institute of History of Medicine and Medical Research – to promote scholarship in medical history; 1963: Indian Institute of Islamic Studies – to explore Islamic culture and its impact on Indian society; 1963: Hamdard Tibbi College – to preserve and teach Unani medicine; 1972: Hamdard College of Pharmacy – to advance pharmaceutical education.

These institutions were eventually unified under the banner of Jamia Hamdard, which was granted Deemed-to-be University status by the Ministry of Human Resource Development on 10 May 1989. Within a decade, Jamia Hamdard had evolved into a vibrant academic institution, fulfilling the charitable and educational objectives of its founding Wakf.