Hamida Saiduzzafar (16 July 1921 – 1988) was an Indian ophthalmologist.

Early life

Saiduzzafar was born in Nainital, the daughter of Sahibzada Saiduzzafar Khan and Shaukat Ara Begum. Her father was a physician and medical school professor in Lucknow. She earned a medical degree from

King George's Medical College King George's Medical University is a medical school, hospital, and medical university located in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. The medical school was raised to a medical university by an act passed by the government of Uttar Pradesh on 16 Se ...

in Lucknow, and a doctorate in ophthalmology at the University of London. While in England, she trained at Moorfields Eye Hospital, and did further work in glaucoma research in London. Writer Rashid Jahan was Saiduzzafar's sister-in-law. Performers Uzra Butt and Zohra Sehgal were her cousins.

Career

Saiduzzafar was an ophthalmic surgeon in Aligharh, at the Gandhi Eye Hospital. From 1978 to 1981, she was a professor at

Aligarh Muslim University Aligarh Muslim University (abbreviated as AMU) is a Public University, public Central University (India), central university in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India, which was originally established by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan as the Muhammadan Anglo-Orie ...

. In 1982, she received the Distinguished Woman Award from Banaras Hindu University. In 1987, she worked with the World Health Organization on blindness and glaucoma. She published research in the '' British Journal of Ophthalmology'', the '' Indian Journal of Ophthalmology'', and ''Experimental Eye Research''. Saiduzzafar was a member of the

British Medical Association The British Medical Association (BMA) is a registered trade union for doctors in the United Kingdom. The association does not regulate or certify doctors, a responsibility which lies with the General Medical Council. The association's headquar ...

, the Ophthalmological Society of the United Kingdom, the

All India Ophthalmological Society Established in 1930, the All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS) is a scientific body promoting study in the field of ophthalmology and promoting ophthalmic care and research in India. History Under the societies registration act of 1883, ...

, the National Society for Prevention of Blindness, and many other organizations. She was a fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine. She wrote an autobiography, published posthumously in 1996. Saiduzzafar was known to be an avid birdwatcher, lectured on birds, and contributed articles to a birdwatchers' newsletter, and to the journal of the Bombay Natural History Society.

Personal life

Hamida Saiduzzafar died in 1988, from a

stroke A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...

, in her mid-sixties.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saiduzzafar, Hamida 1921 births 1988 deaths Indian ophthalmologists Indian women scientists Indian scientists Aligarh Muslim University faculty