P. K. Abdul Gafoor

Who is P. K. Abdul Gafoor?

P. K. Abdul Gafoor was the founding President of Muslim Educational Society in Kerala and one of the pioneers of education amongst the Mappila community in Kerala. He was a medical doctor by profession and served as a Professor of Medicine at Calicut Medical College. In 1964, Abdul Gafoor and a group of young educated Muslims established MES at Calicut, with the objective of cultural, educational and economic upliftment of Muslims. By 1984, it had grown the become the largest distributor of scholarship in India.

Gafoor died in 1984. His son, Dr. P. A. Fazal Gafoor is the current president of MES.

Historian M. G. S. Narayanan opined on him as "one of tallest leaders of the Muslim community to take note of economic weakness of a large section of the community and make strenuous efforts towards their progress". The Annual Dr. Gafoor Memorial Lecture is held in his honour each year. The MES Dr P K Abdul Gafoor Memorial Cultural Complex at Kaloor, Cochin housing the Cochin Stock Exchange is also named in his honour.