Aligarh Muslim University has had 24 regular Vice-Chancellors since it became a university in December 1920. The first was Mohammad Ali Mohammad Khan, the Raja of Mahmudabad, and the first Chancellor was Sultan Jahan, the Begum of Bhopal. The current Vice-Chancellor is Prof. Naima Khatoon, who took charge in April 2024 as the first woman to hold the post. The current Chancellor is Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, elected in 2015.
AMU leadership at a glance
- First Vice-Chancellor: Mohammad Ali Mohammad Khan, Raja of Mahmudabad (1920 to 1923)
- First Chancellor: Sultan Jahan, Begum of Bhopal (1920 to 1930)
- First Pro-Chancellor: Aga Khan III (1920 to 1930)
- Longest-known VC tenure: Zakir Husain, nearly eight years (1948 to 1956)
- Current Vice-Chancellor: Prof. Naima Khatoon, since April 2024
- Current Chancellor: Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, since April 2015
Who runs AMU: Chancellor, Pro-Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor
The Vice-Chancellor is the chief executive and academic head of the university and runs it day to day. The Chancellor is the ceremonial head, elected by the AMU Court, and presides over convocations. The President of India is the Visitor of AMU and approves the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor.
List of AMU Vice-Chancellors, 1920 to 2026
This table lists the regular Vice-Chancellors in order. Officiating or acting VCs, who held charge for short gaps, are listed separately below.
Also readMaulana Azad Library AMU: History, Collection and Membership
| # | Vice-Chancellor | Tenure |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mohammad Ali Mohammad Khan, Raja of Mahmudabad | 1920 to 1923 |
| 2 | Sahibzada Aftab Ahmad Khan | 1924 to 1926 |
| 3 | Nawab Muzammilullah Khan Sherwani | 1927 to 1929 |
| 4 | Ross Masood | 1929 to 1934 |
| 5 | Ziauddin Ahmad | 1935 to 1938, and 1941 to 1946 |
| 6 | Sir Shah Muhammad Sulaiman | 1938 to 1941 |
| 7 | Zahid Husain | 1947 |
| 8 | Nawab Mohammad Ismail Khan | 1947 to 1948 |
| 9 | Dr Zakir Husain | 1948 to 1956 |
| 10 | Bashir Hussain Zaidi | 1956 to 1962 |
| 11 | Badruddin Tyabji | 1962 to 1965 |
| 12 | Ali Yavar Jung | 1965 to 1968 |
| 13 | Abdul Aleem | 1968 to 1974 |
| 14 | A. M. Khusro | 1974 to 1979 |
| 15 | Saiyid Hamid | 1980 to 1985 |
| 16 | Syed Hasim Ali | 1985 to 1989 |
| 17 | M. N. Faruqui | 1990 to 1994 |
| 18 | Mahmoodur Rahman | 1995 to 2000 |
| 19 | Mohammad Hamid Ansari | 2000 to 2002 |
| 20 | Naseem Ahmad | 2002 to 2007 |
| 21 | P. K. Abdul Aziz | 2007 to 2012 |
| 22 | Lt Gen Zameer Uddin Shah | 2012 to 2017 |
| 23 | Prof. Tariq Mansoor | 2017 to 2023 |
| 24 | Prof. Naima Khatoon | 2024 to present |
Acting Vice-Chancellors have filled several gaps, including Obaidur Rahman Khan Sherwani in 1946 and 1947, K. M. Bahauddin in 1985, Mohammad Saleemuddin in 2002 and Prof. Mohammad Gulrez from April 2023 to April 2024. Some sources count these acting heads in the total, which is why you may see Tariq Mansoor described as the “39th” VC elsewhere.
List of AMU Chancellors, 1920 to 2026
| # | Chancellor | Tenure |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sultan Jahan, Begum of Bhopal | 1920 to 1930 |
| 2 | Hamidullah Khan, Nawab of Bhopal | 1930 to 1935 |
| 3 | Mir Osman Ali Khan, Nizam of Hyderabad | 1935 to 1947 |
| 4 | Raza Ali Khan, Nawab of Rampur | 1947 to 1953 |
| 5 | Syedna Taher Saifuddin | 1953 to 1965 |
| 6 | Hafiz Ahmad Saeed Khan, Nawab of Chhatari | 1965 to 1982 |
| 7 | Akhlaqur Rahman Kidwai | 1984 to 1992 |
| 8 | A. M. Khusro | 1992 to 1995 |
| 9 | Hakim Abdul Hameed | 1996 to 1999 |
| 10 | Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin | 1999 to 2002 |
| 11 | Justice A. M. Ahmadi | 2003 to 2006, and 2007 to 2010 |
| 12 | Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin | 2015 to present |
The post was vacant between some terms, most recently from January 2010 until the AMU Court elected Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin on 11 April 2015.
10 AMU leaders worth knowing
1. Sultan Jahan, Begum of Bhopal: the first Chancellor
The ruler of Bhopal from 1901 to 1926 became AMU’s founding Chancellor in December 1920 and held the post until 1930. She remains the only woman to have been Chancellor of the university. Read more in our piece on the women of AMU.
2. Raja of Mahmudabad: the first Vice-Chancellor
Mohammad Ali Mohammad Khan, the Raja of Mahmudabad, was appointed the first Vice-Chancellor when the MAO College became Aligarh Muslim University in December 1920. He served until February 1923. Our MAO College to AMU timeline explains how the change happened.
3. Ross Masood: Sir Syed’s grandson
Ross Masood, the grandson of founder Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, was Vice-Chancellor from 1929 to 1934. His family link to the founder makes him one of the most recalled names on the list.
4. Ziauddin Ahmad: two spells in office
The mathematician Ziauddin Ahmad was the first Indian to win the Isaac Newton Scholarship at Cambridge, in 1904. He is the only Vice-Chancellor to serve two separate terms, from 1935 to 1938 and from 1941 to 1946.
5. Mir Osman Ali Khan: the Nizam as Chancellor
The last Nizam of Hyderabad was Chancellor from 1935 to 1947, the longest Chancellorship before Independence. Hyderabad was among the princely states that supported Aligarh in its early years.
6. Dr Zakir Husain: from VC to President of India
Zakir Husain took over on 30 November 1948 and led the university until September 1956, through the difficult years after Partition. He later became Vice-President and then the third President of India, taking office on 13 May 1967.
7. Syedna Taher Saifuddin: Chancellor for 12 years
The 51st Dai of the Dawoodi Bohra community was Chancellor from 1953 to 1965. His son, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, and grandson, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, also went on to become Chancellors.
8. Mohammad Hamid Ansari: from VC to Vice-President
The career diplomat was Vice-Chancellor from May 2000 to March 2002. He later served two terms as Vice-President of India, from 11 August 2007 to 11 August 2017.
9. Lt Gen Zameer Uddin Shah: the soldier VC
A retired Deputy Chief of the Army Staff, Lt Gen Zameer Uddin Shah was Vice-Chancellor from May 2012 to May 2017. He is the elder brother of actor Naseeruddin Shah, an AMU alumnus himself.
10. Prof. Naima Khatoon: the first woman Vice-Chancellor
Prof. Naima Khatoon, a psychologist and former Principal of the AMU Women’s College, took charge in April 2024 after the President of India approved her appointment. She is the first woman to head the university in more than 100 years. The Allahabad High Court dismissed a challenge to her appointment in May 2025, and the Supreme Court declined to interfere in September 2025.
Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin: the current Chancellor
The AMU Court elected Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin as Chancellor on 11 April 2015, ending a five-year vacancy. He was re-elected unopposed in December 2018.
Frequently asked questions
Who was the first Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University?
Mohammad Ali Mohammad Khan, the Raja of Mahmudabad, was the first Vice-Chancellor. He took office when AMU was established in December 1920 and served until February 1923.
Who was the first Chancellor of AMU in 1920?
Sultan Jahan, the Begum of Bhopal, was the first Chancellor of AMU, from 1920 to 1930. She is still the only woman to have held the post.
Who is the current Vice-Chancellor of AMU?
Prof. Naima Khatoon has been Vice-Chancellor since April 2024. She is the first woman to hold the post.
Who is the current Chancellor of AMU?
Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, the leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community, has been Chancellor since 11 April 2015.
Which AMU Vice-Chancellor became President of India?
Dr Zakir Husain, Vice-Chancellor from 1948 to 1956, became the third President of India in 1967. Another former VC, Mohammad Hamid Ansari, became Vice-President of India in 2007.
For the people who studied at Aligarh rather than ran it, see our list of famous AMU alumni.
Sources: List of chancellors and vice-chancellors of AMU, Wikipedia; AMU, Chancellor; The Tribune, April 2024; Deccan Herald, September 2025.
