Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) national president and former Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed, who suffered a cardiac arrest in Parliament on Tuesday, passed away at the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi.

His death was confirmed at 2.30 a.m. on Wednesday. He was 78. His body will be kept at his official residence for public homage till noon and will be flown to Kozhikode airport at 2 p.m. Thereafter, it will be taken to Haj House at Karipur and then to the League House in Kozhikode. The burial will be held in Kannur on Thursday.

President Pranab Mukherjee took to Twitter to express his grief, saying, "E. Ahamed was a friend and colleague of long years."

#EAhamed was a tireless campaigner for welfare of underprivileged, his services to the nation will be long remembered #PresidentMukherjee — President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) February 1, 2017

Mr. Ahamed was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1967, 1977, 1980, 1982 and 1987. From 1982 to 1987, he served as Cabinet Minister for Industries, Government of Kerala.

From 1971 to 1977, he was the founding chairman of the Kerala State Rural Development Board. From 1979 to 1980, he was the executive chairman of the Kerala State Small Scale Industries Development Corporation. From 1981 to 1983, he was the chairman of the Municipal Council of Kannur.

Mr. Ahamed was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2004 and 2009. During May 2004 – May 2009, he served as the Minister of State for External Affairs. During May 2009 – January 2011, he was the Minister of State for Railways. He assumed charge again as Minister of State of External Affairs on January 24, 2011. Mr. Ahamed assumed the additional charge as Minister of State for Human Resource Development on 12 July, 2011.

During his tenure in Parliament, he was a member of several parliamentary committees, including External Affairs, Railways, Civil Aviation and Tourism, Public Undertakings, Science and Technology, Environment and Forests. He was also the chairman of the Government Assurance Committee.

Mr. Ahamed graduated from Govt. Brennen College in Thalassery and later obtained a Law Degree from the Government Law College in Thiruvanathapuram.

Mr. Ahamed is widely travelled and has represented India in the United Nations six times between 1991 and 2009. In 1984, he was sent to GCC countries as an Emissary of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Born on 29 April, 1938, Mr. Ahamed has performed Hajj seven times – five times as a Member of Government of India Haj Goodwill Delegation. He has also authored 3 books in English and Malayalam.

He was married to Late Mrs. Zuhara Ahamed. Mr. Ahamed has two sons and a daughter.

His hobbies include reading, writing and watching sports.