Kamal Ahmad is a Bangladeshi-born American social entrepreneur, lawyer, and international development professional, best known as the founder of the Asian University for Women (AUW) in Chittagong, Bangladesh. He also conceived and co-directed the World Bank/UNESCO Task Force on Higher Education & Society.
Early Life and Education
Kamal Ahmad was born in Bangladesh and grew up in a family that valued education and public service. His father, Dr. Kamaluddin Ahmad, was a pioneer in biochemistry and nutrition sciences in Bangladesh, and his grandfather, Dr. Osman Ghani, served as Vice Chancellor of the University of Dhaka and as Pakistan's Ambassador to Tanzania. At age 14, Ahmad founded the Juvenile Literacy Programme (JLP) in Dhaka, an afternoon school for children who worked as domestic help, which was likely the first non-governmental informal education program for out-of-school children in Bangladesh. He moved to the United States in 1980 to attend Phillips Exeter Academy, where he founded the school's Third World Society. He later earned a B.A. from Harvard College (1986) and a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School.
Career in International Development
As a freshman at Harvard, Ahmad co-founded the Overseas Development Network, a U.S.-wide consortium of campus organizations focused on international development awareness. Before law school, he worked at The World Bank (as a member of the Core Team on adult health issues), The Rockefeller Foundation (as a Warren Weaver Fellow), and UNICEF (in New York and Zimbabwe). At the World Bank, he conceived and co-directed the World Bank/UNESCO Task Force on Higher Education & Society (1998–2000), co-chaired by Professor Henry Rosovsky of Harvard and Dr. Mamphela Ramphele of South Africa. He also practiced corporate law at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver and Jacobson in New York.
Asian University for Women
Ahmad founded the Asian University for Women (AUW) in Chittagong, Bangladesh, a liberal arts university dedicated exclusively to the education and leadership development of women from across Asia and the Middle East. The university opened its doors in March 2008 with 134 students from six countries and graduated its first class in May 2013. He serves as President and CEO of the Asian University for Women Support Foundation, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he led efforts to raise nearly $50 million in support for the university. AUW students come from over a dozen countries, including Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Cambodia, and Myanmar.
Awards and Recognition
- United Nations Gold Peace Medal and Citation Scroll (Paul G. Hoffman Awards Fund)
- Time Magazine College Achievement Award
- Global Leader for Tomorrow Award, World Economic Forum
- John Phillips Award from Phillips Exeter Academy
- Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences (elected 2024)
- Member, Board of Directors of BRAC USA
Other Individuals Named Kamal Ahmad
There are several other notable individuals who share the name "Kamal Ahmad":
- Kamal Ahmad (1937–1997): A Pakistani film composer and music director who worked on over 45 films, including Basheera (1972), Aakhri Muqabala (1977), and Alladin (1981). He died in Lahore, Pakistan.
- Kamal Ahmad: A researcher and Ph.D. scholar in medicinal chemistry, with published work on anticancer agents, antimicrobial compounds, and enzyme inhibitors.
- Kamal Ahmad: A medical doctor (general surgeon) and various other professionals across different fields, for whom comprehensive encyclopedic information is limited.
