Mohammad Hidayatullah remains the only individual in Indian history to have occupied the offices of Chief Justice of India, President of India, and Vice President of India. Born in 1905 in Lucknow, his legal and political trajectory spanned the transition from the British Raj to the independence of India, defining a career characterized by successive judicial and executive appointments.
Early Legal Education
After graduating from Morris College in Nagpur in 1926, Hidayatullah moved to England to study at Trinity College, University of Cambridge. He remained there from 1927 to 1930, earning both B.A. and M.A. degrees. In 1929, he served as President of the Indian Majlis. He was called to the Bar from Lincoln's Inn in 1930.
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Upon returning to India, he enrolled as an advocate at the High Court of Central Provinces and Berar in 1930. His government service included roles as Government Pleader and Advocate General of Central Provinces and Berar. In 1946, he was appointed an Additional Judge of the High Court. By 1954, he served as Chief Justice of the Nagpur High Court, later moving to the Madhya Pradesh High Court in 1956. He joined the Supreme Court of India in 1958 and served as Chief Justice of India from 1968 until 1970.
Executive Roles
Hidayatullah served as acting President of India from 20 July to 24 August 1969 following the death of Zakir Husain and the resignation of V. V. Giri. Later, he was elected Vice President of India, serving from 1979 to 1984. During this term, he officiated as acting president again in October 1982 while President Zail Singh sought medical treatment abroad.
Legislative and Academic Contributions
Beyond his judiciary work, he held various committee positions, including memberships in the Nagpur Municipal Committee and the Nagpur Bar Council. Between 1935 and 1943, he taught Jurisprudence and Mahomedan Law at the University College of Law in Nagpur. He also served as Dean of the Faculty of Law at Nagpur University from 1949 to 1953.
Fast facts
- Born: 1905, Lucknow
- Died: 1992, Mumbai
- Education: Trinity College, University of Cambridge
- Chief Justice of India: 1968–1970
- President of India: 1969
- Vice President of India: 1979–1984
- Award: Officer of the Order of the British Empire
- Religion: Islam
Questions readers ask
Did Mohammad Hidayatullah serve as a permanent President of India?
No, he served as acting President twice, once in 1969 and again in 1982.
Was he the first Muslim to serve as Chief Justice of India?
Yes, he was appointed as the first Muslim Chief Justice of India on 28 February 1968.
Achievements
- President of India (1969–1969)
- Chief Justice of India (1968–1970)
- Vice President of India (1979–1984)
- president
- Officer of the Order of the British Empire
- Educated at Vasantrao Naik Government Institute of Arts and Social Sciences and Trinity College
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