Zeb Akhtar/Ranchi

He has spent more than three decades of his life working for the betterment of society in Ranchi. He is known as the person who steps in wherever a child drops out of school for want of fees, where poor patients wander helplessly in search of treatment, or where communal tension threatens to divide people.

Once a banker and associated with the cultural organisation Indian People’s Theatre Association, Ibrar has worked tirelessly both as an individual and on institutional fronts. He has been the convener of organisations such as the Maulana Azad Human Initiative (MAHI), Samajha (Sajha Manch Jharkhand), and Majlis.

Ibrar Ahmed with children

As Director of the Anjum Ibrar Foundation, he has extended his personal resources to help those in need. From August 2013 to August 2022, he served as the President of Anjuman Islamia Ranchi and its hospital. He is also a life member of several institutions, including the Red Cross Society, YMCA, Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and Country Cricket Club.

Ibrar believes that “education is the key that can unlock society’s closed vaults.” Guided by this conviction, he has consistently reached out to children and youth. As President of Anjuman Islamia Ranchi, he arranged scholarships for poor students and launched talent shows and quiz competitions, ensuring that education extended beyond textbooks to build confidence and practical skills.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, when schools were shut and online classes were accessible only to those with smartphones or laptops, thousands of children were left behind. At that time, Ibrar initiated “Mohalla Shiksha Kendras” (community learning centres). In disadvantaged localities such as Hindpiri, Azad Basti, and Alinagar, small classrooms were set up where college students and volunteer teachers taught children. Books and notebooks were provided free of cost, and all health protocols were followed.

Ibrar Ahmad delivering a lecture

To give new dimensions to learning, he established the Maulana Azad Library and Study Centre in 2020 at Pirutola village in Kanke block, where books had once been an unattainable dream. This library opened up a new world for children and youth. Similarly, during the annual education and cultural fairs organised on Maulana Azad’s birth anniversary, hundreds of children showcased their talents through dance, speeches, and quizzes.

Under the banner of MAHI, Ibrar organised workshops on Quick Maths and Vedic Mathematics, in which a large number of girls participated. For him, education is not just about earning degrees but about building confidence—the most powerful tool for transforming society. If education gives wings to children’s dreams, health preserves the breath of the poor, and on this front too, Ibrar Ahmad has left a deep imprint.

Ibrar Ahmed celebrating Independence Day 

During his tenure at Anjuman Islamia Hospital, Ranchi, several reforms were introduced. Treatment was made affordable and accessible so that even the poor could approach without hesitation. Free medicines and diagnostic tests were made available to needy patients, turning the hospital into a shelter for those in distress.

Ibrar Ahmed distributing school uniforms to a child

Ibrar’s roots run deep in culture. As the state president of IPTA, he carried forward campaigns for communal harmony through cultural programs. Along with folk artists, he produced a 51-episode documentary series titled “Johar Jharkhand,” which was telecast on Doordarshan.

When communal violence erupted in Silgai-Chanho near Ranchi in 2014, he did not remain a bystander. Leading a peace delegation alongside Padma Bhushan awardee Mukund Nayak and renowned artist Madhu Mansuri, he initiated dialogue with both communities. Cultural performances and sustained efforts to restore mutual trust helped bring the situation under control.

Ibrar Ahmed during a function with children

Ibrar Ahmad has guided society not only through his work but also through his writings. He served as editor of Chhota Nagpur Mail and Aalam-e-Jharkhand and later launched a news channel called Sabrang. His journalism was never limited to reporting facts; it was about giving a voice to the voiceless and highlighting issues that mattered.

The story of Ibrar Ahmad does not end with conclusions—it continues to unfold each day. Whether it is a child studying at a Mohalla Shiksha Kendra, a poor patient breathing easy in a hospital, or two communities embracing after conflict, his work is visible everywhere.

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He left his bank job, managed his business, but carved his true identity among people. His institutional roles through MAHI, Samajha, Majlis, Anjuman Islamia, Anjum Ibrar Foundation, and several other organisations prove that he never confined himself to one locality or neighbourhood. The soil of Ranchi and Jharkhand itself stands testimony to the fact that Ibrar Ahmad has dedicated his life to keeping humanity alive.