Mohammed Yahya
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Mohammed Yahya (also known as Mohammed Yahya Jan; 20 March 1901 – 4 March 1990) was primarily an Educationist, serving as the founder and first headmaster of the Islamia High School Peshawar, the Education Minister of the N.W.F.P. and director Special Education and Princeley States.
Mohammed Yahya was born in Peshawar, North-West Frontier Province in 1901 and was the third son of the sixth wife of Haji Ghulam Samdani, who belonged to Barra Mulla in Kashmir.
After matriculation and a bachelor's degree from Edwardes College Peshawar, Mohammed Yahya went on to Aligarh University, where he completed his MPhil in Philosophy specializing in the works of Nietzsche.
He was the only son-in-law of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, the Freedom fighter and non-violent leader of the Pathans in the North-West Frontier Province
Professional life and politics
After returning to Peshawar in 1934, he was approached by a group of leading Muslims from Peshawar City to set up a high school for Muslim students. Till that time the Khalsa school (Located near Dakki Nal Bandi) was the only school within the city. After consultations with the Head master of the Khalsa School and with other notables of Peshawar, he launched the Islamia High School in Peshawar city and became its first head master. In the 1946 Elections Yahya contested as a Congress Candidate against Sardar Abdul Rab Nishtar and defeated him with a heavy margin of approx 8,000 votes. He subsequently became The Minister of Education of the North West Frontier Province in Dr. Khan Sahibs 2nd Ministry. During his short stint as Education Minister (Partition of the Sub Continent in 1947 led to the dissolution of the Assembly) he put forward the proposal for Peshawar University to be established.
In the 1960s he was the Director for Special Education, Tribal Areas and Princely States.