Hyd philanthropist Babukhan passes away

NT Correspondent

Hyderabad: Well-known builder and philanthropist Ghiasuddin Babukhan passed away in a hospital on Monday following a brief illness, according to family sources. He was 83. He is survived by his wife, three sons and a daughter.

According to Siasat.com news portal, some of the landmark buildings that contributed to the city’s modern skyline were built by his construction firms Babukhan Properties and Moghul Builders, including the towering Babukhan Estate and Deccan Towers. His father Khan Bahadur Abdul Karim Babukhan had built the construction empire with architectural gems like the Osmania University’s Arts College, Hyderabad House in New Delhi and Kadam Dam in Nirmal, part of erstwhile Adilabad.

Ghiasuddin Babukhan carried forward the legacy with a big slice of philanthropy when he founded the Hyderabad Zakat and Charitable Trust (HZCT) in 1992-93, marking the beginning of a focused effort to establish structured systems of charitable giving. HZCT began with a modest zakat collection of Rs. 11 lakh in 1992 and expanded to support more than 24,000 students annually across hundreds of schools and colleges in Telengana and Andhra Pradesh, many in remote areas of two states.

As the guiding force of the Hyderabad Institute of Excellence, Babukhan championed access to quality education for deserving students. He was honoured with the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad National Award in 2014 by the Government of Telangana for his sustained commitment to uplift the minority through education and economic progress. He was laid to rest at Masjid e Baqi graveyard in Banjara Hills following funeral prayers late on Monday.