Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi

Salahuddin Owaisi (14 February 1931 – 29 September 2008) was an Indian politician belonging to the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen party and active in the Telangana region.

Salahuddin Owaisi stepped into politics in 1958 at a very early age and was active when his father was jailed in the same year.

Salahuddin Owaisi, also known as "Salar-e-Millat", repeatedly alleged in his speeches that the Indian state had "abandoned" the Muslims to their fate.

Therefore, "Muslims should stand on their own feet, rather than look to the State for help", he argued.

Owaisi was considered to be the strongest person in Hyderabad politics as his power extended till the borders of United Andhra Pradesh.

Muslims in the State rallied behind him and he was considered to be the man who could tilt the Muslim vote bank in Andhra Pradesh to whichever Party he felt like supporting.

He was considered to be the most prominent Muslim Leader in Hyderabad.

To work for the economic development and educational advancement of the minorities; Owaisi established minority Engineering College, Medical College, Pharmacy, Degree College and Colleges for hospital management, MBA, MCA and Nursing, a Co-operative Bank, an Industrial Training Institute, and two Hospitals and Urdu Newspaper Etemaad Daily; evinced keen interest in espousing the cause of promotion and protection of Urdu language, literature and culture.

In 1976, Salahuddin Owaisi took over the presidency of the Majlis after his father's death.

Owaisi was the father of three sons.

He served as the Member of Parliament from Hyderabad for six consecutive terms until his retirement in 2004.

Owaisi's father was Abdul Wahed Owaisi was the president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen till his death.

His eldest son, Asaduddin Owaisi, succeeded his father as president of the Majlis and has also retained his father's pocket-borough of Hyderabad since 2004 (when Owaisi retired).

Owaisi's second son, Akbaruddin Owaisi, is a member of the Telangana Legislative Assembly from the Chandrayangutta Assembly Constituency.