MA Mohammed Jamal, the revered godfather to thousands of orphans and general secretary of Wayanad Muslim Orphanage (WMO) in Kerala’s Wayanad district, passed away on Thursday, 21 December.
Having dedicated his life to the orphanage since 1967, Jamal transformed the lives of numerous orphans.
Initially a member of the Indian Union Muslim League, he assumed leadership of the orphanage in 1987 following the passing of veteran Muslim leader Abdul Rahman Bafaqui Thangal.
Over 400 students, with WMO’s financial support, pursue higher studies nationwide after leaving the orphanage, and many expressed their grief on social media following the death of “Jamaluppa,” the name they used to call him.
Jamal, also a Kerala state committee member of the Indian Union Muslim League, was 83.
His demise leaves a significant void at the helm of the 19 institutes providing religious and moral education to approximately 9000 students in Wayanad.
In recognition of his philanthropic endeavors, Jamal received prestigious awards, including the Kerala Mappila Kala Academy’s first Sharifa Fatima Award in 2006, the Indira Gandhi Sadbhavana Award for Best Education Worker in 2008, the KSTU’s first Shihab Thangal Award for Best Social Worker in 2011, and the Quaid-E-Millath Foundation’s Quaid-E-Millath Award.
 in Kerala's Wayanad district, passed away on Thursday, 21 December.){kind=link}