Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari was born at Yusufpur in Gazipur District of Uttar Pradesh on 25 December, 1880. After graduating from Madras Medical College, he sailed for England in 1900 for higher medical studies. There he qualified for M.D. and M.S., topping the list of successful candidates. As a result he was the only Indian to be appinted Registrar at the Lock Hospital, London. Later he he shifted to the Charing Cross Hospital, where a ward was named after him in recognition of his services in the field of surgery. He was also chosen to the Secretaryship of the Indian Medical Association and later to its Presidency.

During his stay in England, Dr. Ansari was drawn into the Indian national scene by meeting and developing close friendship with Indian leaders. He became life-long friend of Motilal Nehru, Hakin Ajmal Khan and Jawaharlal Nehru. This led him to return to India in 1910. He finally set up medical practice in Delhi and was soon drawn into active politics. His first move was to lead, in December 1012 a medical mission to Turkey during the Balkan War.His services in providing medical aid to the Turkish army paved the way for the Indian leaders to put India on the world map.

This was the period when the Congress and the Muslim League had, more or less, identical political goal. Dr. Ansari was held in esteem by both the parties and he held high positions in both. He prosided over the annual sessions of the League in 1918 and 1920 and also over the Congress session at Madras in 1927. He took a bold and fearless stand in support of the Khilafat Movement and unconditionally supported the demand for complete fredom. His house in Delhi,'Dar-us-Salam' was for all practical purposes like the Congress House. Mahatma Gandhi used to stay there whenever he visited Delhi during the life time of Dr. Ansari. Besides his wide-ranging political activities, he was deply interested in the spread of education.

He helped to set up Jamia Milia Islamia at Delhi and Kashi Vidyapeeth at Varanasi. After the death of Hakim Ajmal Khan, the first Chancellor (1900-1927) of JAmia Milia, Dr. Ansari was elected its Chancellor (1928-1936). He was also a prolific contributor to various journals and published "The Regeneration of Man", a medical treatise, in 1935. His other preoccupations did not dim his professional ardour and he attended to his patients, rich and poor, with same care and solicitude. He breathed his last on 10 May, 1936.

Indian Posts and Telegraphs Department is privileged to issue a commemorative stamp in his honour.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India