Puttur: Mittur Usman Haji (65), a well-respected community leader and resident of Manjalpadpu here, died following brief illness late Monday night.
His sphere of activity spanned not only across Puttur, Bantwal and Mangaluru taluks and Kasaragod, but also at the state level. He was the founder-president of the Markaz Al Huda Women’s College in Kumbra.
He had served in various positions in Siraj-ul Huda Juma mosque in Mittur, DK District Waqf Advisory committee, Samasta Kerala Sunni Education Council central commitee, Karnataka Muslim Jama’at Council, Sunni Management Association, Kumbla Muhimmat educational institutions, Islamic Cultural Centre at Masjid Takwa Pumpwell, Puttur taluk Muslim Samyukta Jama’at, Bantwal taluk Muslim, Samyukta Jama’at, Puttur Seerat committee, Government First-grade College managing committee in Bettampadi, Masjid-ul Arafa mosque committee and many others.
He was also the founder-president of the Puttur City Rotary Club, besides serving as president of Mountain View School.
Among the several honours and awards he received in recognition of his contributions and achievements included the Rotary International’s Paul Harris Fellow honour, annual award from the Bearys’ Welfare Association – Bengaluru, education promoter award from Markaz Al Huda – UAE, H D Deve Gowda award on the occaion of Kannada Rajyotsava and many others.
Many prominent leaders like minister U T Khader, MLA Shakuntala Shetty, zilla panchayat member M S Mohammed, municipal past president Jagadish Shetty Nellikatte, Yenepoya Mohammed Kunhi, S M Rasheed and others paid their final respects and condoled his death.
Usman Haji is survived by wife, four sons and four daughters. His final rites were held in Siraj-ul Huda Juma mosque on Tuesday evening.