Dr Taskhir Ahmed, T Pk, SK (1905 – 1991). A Distinguished Scientist from Bhera, district Sargodha , Pakistan
Dr Taskhir Ahmed was born on March 3, 1905, in Bhera, Punjab. His father, Moulvi Muhammad Saeed, was a teacher of Arabic in a local school. Tashkir Ahmed was a precocious child and passed matriculation from Bhera High School in first division. At the age of 14, he was the youngest boy ever to be admitted to the Punjab Agricultural College. He was a very bright student and obtained the degree of B.Sc Agriculture in
1924. He was awarded Sir James Wilson medal for standing first in the Chemistry Group. He joined the Punjab Agriculture Department as a research assistant in 1924. Due to his outstanding research work, he was awarded for higher studies.
In 1933, he proceeded to Cambridge University, UK, and was awarded Ph D degree in Entomology in a record period of 18 months. In 1935, he joined Imperial Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) as Senior Entomologist in New Delhi, where he remained till 1947.
He opted for Pakistan and was appointed on August 15, 1947, as Director Plant Protection in the Ministry of Agriculture. He built up this department right from scratch. His hard work and breadth of knowledge soon became evident, and during his stewardship, he started an aerial wing. His personal pride was this aerial unit that he created in the fifties. It had a fleet of aeroplanes that were equipped for aerial spraying. Pakistan in those days was one of the few countries of the world that was doing aerial spraying.
The research work of Dr Taskhir Ahmed shows that he was a practical scientist who believed in applied research. He had an innovating mind. Aldrin was a non-emulsifiable insecticide and had to be diluted with either diesel or kerosene before spraying. He tried water with heavy churning, which proved successful. It cut down the cost dramatically and revolutionalized the aerial spraying. This new formulation prompted the United States Department of Agriculture, Burma Shell in England and Bayers Company in Germany to invite him to give lectures in Europe and the USA. On this discovery in 1962, he was awarded a special prize by the Food and Agricultural Organization of United Nations.
Dr Taskhir Ahmed was elected a fellow of Pakistan Academy of Sciences in 1954. His services were recognized by the Government of Pakistan by the award of Tamgha-i – Pakistan in 1961 and Sitara – i – Kidhmat in 1964.
After his retirement from government service, he served as Director Darul Aloom, Sial Sharif, district Sargodha. Dr Taskhir Ahmed was a very religious person and never interfered in the personal beliefs of anyone . He strongly believed in the quality education, hard work, honety, and welfare of the needy. His life should be a role model for the youth of Bhera. He died in 1991 and was buried at Sial Sharif.
By : Sqn Ldr Fareed Ahmed ( late) & Dr Saboor Ahmed , sons of Dr Taskhir Ahmed ( late)
Zahid Mumtaz
