{{Short description|Meghalaya politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}} {{Use Indian English|date=July 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Sayeedullah Nongrum | native_name = | office1 = Member of Meghalaya Legislative Assembly | constituency1 = Rajabala | term_start1 = 2003 | term_end1 = 2013 | predecessor1 = Kapin Ch. Boro | successor1 = Ashahel D. Shira | term_start2 = 1993 | term_end2 = 1998 | predecessor2 = Miriam D. Shira | successor2 = Kapin Ch. Boro | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1945|11|25}} | birth_place = Shillong, Meghalaya | party = Indian National Congress | relatives = | image = | caption = }} '''Sayeedullah Nongrum''' is an Indian politician and philanthropist. He was a three-time MLA for the Rajabala constituency in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.<ref name="rajabala-results" />
==Early life and education== Khan was born on 25 November 1945 to a Sunni Muslim Khasi family in Meghalaya. His father was S.K. Abdullah. He began his studies in Shillong, completing his matriculation from the city's Islamia High School in 1960. He graduated from Gauhati University in 1964, and completed a Master of Arts degree in Urdu in 1969.<ref name="myneta-2019" />
==Career== ===Professional and educational work=== Nongrum began his working life in 1967 as a time scale clerk in the Department of Telecommunications. He later served as a Public Relations Officer before retiring in 1992 to focus on social and political work.<ref name="iml" />
He played a key role in Muslim educational and institutional development in Meghalaya. He served as president of the Shillong Muslim Panchayat and as secretary of the Meghalaya Board of Wakf.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=The Milli Gazette, OPI, Pharos Media |title=In the service of Meghalaya Muslims |url=https://www.milligazette.com/Archives/2004/01-15Mar04-Print-Edition/0103200465.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040703095224/https://www.milligazette.com/Archives/2004/01-15Mar04-Print-Edition/0103200465.htm |archive-date=2004-07-03 |access-date=2026-01-12 |website=www.milligazette.com}}</ref>
Nongrum helped found several educational institutions including Qazi & Jaman College in Bhaitbari (1990), Jinjiram College in Rajabala (2000) and was the founding vice-president of the governing body of Umshyrpi College in Shillong.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=History of Shillong Muslim Union |url=https://www.umshyrpicollege.com/history-of-shillong-muslim-union |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250809092615/https://www.umshyrpicollege.com/history-of-shillong-muslim-union |archive-date=2025-08-09 |access-date=2026-01-12 |website=www.umshyrpicollege.com |language=en}}</ref>
===Political career=== Nongrum entered electoral politics in the 1993 Meghalaya Legislative Assembly election, winning the Rajabala seat as an independent candidate.<ref name="iml" />
Despite contesting against candidates from established parties, he defeated Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Biren Hajong in the election.<ref name="iml">{{Cite web |title=406. Sayeed Ullah Nongrum |url=https://indianmuslimlegends.blogspot.com/2012/11/406-sayeed-ullah-nongrum.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107234124/https://indianmuslimlegends.blogspot.com/2012/11/406-sayeed-ullah-nongrum.html |archive-date=2017-11-07 |access-date=2026-01-12 |website=indianmuslimlegends.blogspot.com}}</ref>
He was defeated in the 1998 Meghalaya Legislative Assembly election by Indian National Congress candidate Kapin Ch. Boro. He returned to the Assembly in the 2003 Meghalaya Legislative Assembly election, defeating Clement Marak of the Nationalist Congress Party, and retained the seat in the 2008 Meghalaya Legislative Assembly election as a Congress candidate.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2008-03-07 |title=Sayeedullah Nongrum (Congress) wins in Rajabala |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sayeedullah-nongrum-congress-wins-in-rajabala/articleshow/2845247.cms |access-date=2026-01-12 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>
He was defeated in the 2013 Meghalaya Legislative Assembly election.<ref name="rajabala-results">{{Cite web |title=Rajabala Assembly Constituency Election Result – Legislative Assembly Constituency |url=https://resultuniversity.com/election/rajabala-meghalaya-assembly-constituency |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250809090002/https://resultuniversity.com/election/rajabala-meghalaya-assembly-constituency |archive-date=9 August 2025 |access-date=2025-03-08 |website=resultuniversity.com}}</ref>
At the 2018 Meghalaya Legislative Assembly election, Nongrum contested from the Tikrikilla constituency as an independent candidate but was unsuccessful. A by-election was held in April 2019 for the Selsella constituency, in which Nongrum contested as a United Democratic Party candidate but did not win the election.<ref name="myneta-2019">{{Cite web |title=Sayeedullah Nongrum (United Democratic Party): Constituency – Selsella (By-election 2019) |url=https://myneta.info/meghalaya2018/candidate.php?candidate_id=6158 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250809090411/https://myneta.info/meghalaya2018/candidate.php?candidate_id=6158 |archive-date=9 August 2025 |access-date=2025-03-08 |website=myneta.info}}</ref>
He has also held administrative positions, including Chairman of the Meghalaya Industrial Development Corporation and Chairman of the Meghalaya Land Revenue Review Committee and has also acted as co-ordinator of the Assam–Meghalaya Boundary Settlement Committee. In May 2009, he was appointed Political Secretary to the Chief Minister of Meghalaya with Cabinet rank.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Political Secretary appointment notification |url=https://megpns.gov.in/gazette/2009/05/25-05-09-X.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260112134852/https://megpns.gov.in/gazette/2009/05/25-05-09-X.pdf |archive-date=2026-01-12 |access-date=2026-01-12 |website=megpns.gov.in}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Shri Sayeedullah Nongrum, MLA, Political Secretary to the Chief Minister will be entitled to the perks and facilities under category the ' A +', dated 11th May 2011 |url=https://meghalaya.gov.in/notifications/content/14922 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418125104/https://meghalaya.gov.in/notifications/content/14922 |archive-date=2021-04-18 |access-date=2026-01-12 |website=meghalaya.gov.in |language=en}}</ref>
===Community leadership and interfaith work=== Since 1982, Nongrum has served as General Secretary of the Shillong Muslim Union (SMU).<ref name=":1" /> Under his leadership, the SMU helped develop the Madina Masjid in Shillong, described as a glass mosque with educational and welfare facilities.<ref name="iml" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=2012-10-15 |title=India's first glass mosque in Shillong |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/ |access-date=2026-01-12 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Nongrum is also a founder member of the Shillong All Faith Forum, which promotes communal harmony and cooperation among religious communities.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Syedullah Nongrum: Khasi Muslim leader works for unity of people in Meghalaya |url=https://www.awazthevoice.in/personality-news/syedullah-nongrum-khasi-muslim-leader-works-for-unity-of-people-in-meghalaya-34810.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250226062809/https://www.awazthevoice.in/personality-news/syedullah-nongrum-khasi-muslim-leader-works-for-unity-of-people-in-meghalaya-34810.html |archive-date=2025-02-26 |access-date=2026-01-12 |website=www.awazthevoice.in |language=en}}</ref>
==Personal life== Nongrum is married to Fatima Beum Dkhar (formerly Florabell Dkhar) and they have two sons and two daughters. He is also a polyglot; fluent in Khasi, English, Bengali, Urdu, Hindi, Persian, Tamil, Nepali and Assamese.<ref name="myneta-2019" /><ref name=":1" />
==References== <ref>{{Cite news |title=Sayeedullah Nongrum - The Shillong Times |url=https://theshillongtimes.com/sayeedullah-nongrum/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250809092240/https://theshillongtimes.com/sayeedullah-nongrum/ |archive-date=2025-08-09 |access-date=2025-08-09 |work=The Shillong Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Notifications {{!}} Meghalaya Government Portal |url=https://meghalaya.gov.in/notifications/content/14922 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418125104/https://meghalaya.gov.in/notifications/content/14922 |archive-date=2021-04-18 |access-date=2025-08-09 |website=meghalaya.gov.in |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Wayback Machine |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220415000000*/https://ceomeghalaya.nic.in/electionconducted/mla2013/affidavits/47-rajabala/sayeedullah-nongrum.pdf |access-date=2025-08-09 |website=web.archive.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Sayeedullah Nongrum in Meghalaya Assembly Elections 2023 |url=https://www.news18.com/assembly-elections-2023/meghalaya/sayeedullah-nongrum-mahendraganj-candidate-s15a054c003/ |access-date=2025-08-09 |website=News18 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Network |first=Hub |date=2023-10-07 |title=NE's Islamic NGOs, intellectuals form new forum to fight for Muslims rights, rituals and Sharia |url=https://hubnetwork.in/nes-islamic-ngos-intellectuals-form-new-forum-to-fight-for-muslims-rights-rituals-and-sharia/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241212044441/https://hubnetwork.in/nes-islamic-ngos-intellectuals-form-new-forum-to-fight-for-muslims-rights-rituals-and-sharia/ |archive-date=2024-12-12 |access-date=2026-01-12 |work=Hub News |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-10-07 |title=Boost to Cong, ex-MLA Sayeedulah makes comeback |url=https://highlandpost.com/boost-to-cong-ex-mla-sayeedulah-makes-comeback/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007184931/https://highlandpost.com/boost-to-cong-ex-mla-sayeedulah-makes-comeback/ |archive-date=2021-10-07 |access-date=2025-08-09 |work=Highland Post |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Umshyrpi College |url=https://www.umshyrpicollege.com/history-of-shillong-muslim-union |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250809092615/https://www.umshyrpicollege.com/history-of-shillong-muslim-union |archive-date=2025-08-09 |access-date=2025-08-09 |website=www.umshyrpicollege.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-10-08 |title=Former minister Sayeedullah rejoins Congress - The Shillong Times |url=https://theshillongtimes.com/2021/10/08/former-minister-sayeedullah-rejoins-congress/ |access-date=2025-08-09 |website=theshillongtimes.com |language=en-US}}</ref> {{Reflist}}
== External links ==
* {{Cite web |title=Indian Muslim Legends: 406. Sayeed Ullah Nongrum |url=http://indianmuslimlegends.blogspot.com/2012/11/406-sayeed-ullah-nongrum.html |access-date=2025-08-09 |website=Indian Muslim Legends}} * {{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIYu1np2JPQ |title=How Meghalaya tribal leader Syedullah Nongrum is changing lives |date=2025-06-10 |last=Awaz The Voice English |access-date=2025-10-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251001194833/https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=YIYu1np2JPQ |archive-date=2025-10-01 |via=YouTube}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Nongrum, Sayeedullah}} Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Meghalaya Category:Politicians from Meghalaya Category:Meghalaya MLAs 1993–1998 Category:1945 births Category:People from West Garo Hills district Category:20th-century Indian Muslims Category:Indian Sunni Muslims Category:Indian Muslim politicians Category:Khasi people Category:Gauhati University alumni Category:Living people Category:People from Shillong Category:Muslims from Meghalaya