Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, head of the Bohra Muslim community, has been elected as the chancellor of the Jamia Millia Islamia for a five-year term effective Tuesday. Saifuddin has been the head of the one-million-strong global Dawoodi Bohra Muslim community since 2014. He succeeds Najma Heptulla, who completed her five-year term as chancellor of university last year.

“Members of the court (anjuman) of the Jamia Millia Islamia have unanimously elected Saifuddin as the chancellor of the university for a period of five years with effect from 14th March, 2023,” a university official said.

The official added that the election of Saifuddin, who has featured in the list of 500 most-influential Muslims, happened at a meeting of the court on Monday.

The university said in a statement Saifuddin “leads by his exceptional examples” and has dedicated his life to the betterment of society with special focus on education, the environment, socio-economic aspects and so on.

The global programmes overseen by Saifuddin include Saifee Burhani Uplift Project, Turning the Tide, Project Rise, FMB Community kitchen work towards eradication of hunger, reduction of food waste, protecting the environment and so on, the university added.

A citation was read in the celebration of his contributions in US House of Representatives and he has been received as a reverent state guest in several countries, according to university. He is an alumnus of Al-Azhar University and Cairo University, Egypt.

He also inaugurated a new campus of Al-jamia-tus-saifiya in Mumbai on February 10.  He has been doing philanthropic work in country and across the world. He introduced sustainable agricultural systems, enhancing local infrastructure and providing equal access to education to both girls and boys in Yemen, the statement added.