India's political activist. He went to London in 1908 and after obtaining his bar at law Dr Syed Mahmud returned to India and started his practice, in 1912, in Patna. He, however, got engaged in the nascent Indian movement for independence. Dr Mahmud represented All India Congress, joined the Khilafat movement and was appointed general secretary of Central Khilafat Committee (1921). He was made joint general secretary, with Nehru, (1923) and general secretary (1929) of All India Congress. He believed in the welfare of Indian Muslims by joining the Congress and not in separate political movement. He took active part, in the 1942, 'Quit India' movement. Dr Mahmud was imprisoned a number of times by the British colonial government. Dr Mahmud was appointed as education minister in 1937 and 1939 in the Congress government in Bihar. After India's independence he joined central ministry of external affairs (1954-57) and was involved in 'Panchsheel' when India and China signed an agreement in June 1954 as well as his involvement in the Bandung Conference (1955). Born at Saidpur in the district of Ghazipur (UP) into a respectable landlord family Syed Mahmud grew up in Jaunpur.