Mirza Osman Ali Baig, MBE (Urdu: مرزا عثمان علی بیگ, 9 January 1904 – 1992) was a Pakistani diplomat and cavalry officer in the colonial Indian Political Service.[1]
Mirza Osman Ali Baig | |
|---|---|
| Foreign Secretary, Karachi | |
| In office 1951–1952 | |
| Preceded by | Mohammed Ikramullah |
| Succeeded by | Akhter Husain |
| High Commissioner to Canada | |
| In office 1953–1958 | |
| Secretary-General CENTO | |
| In office 1 January 1959 – 31 December 1961 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 January 1904 Bombay, British India |
| Died | February 1992 (aged 88) London, England |
| Nationality | Pakistani |
| Alma mater | Clifton College, Bristol and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst |
| Profession | Diplomat |
Biography
editMirza Osman Ali Baig was born in Bombay on 9 January 1904, the son of Sir Mirza Abbas Ali Baig, KCIE, CSI (1859-1932) and was educated at Clifton College, Bristol[2] and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.[3]
He was commissioned onto the Unattached List for the Indian Army as a second lieutenant in January 1924, spent a year attached to a British Army regiment in India and then joined the Indian Army in March 1925. He served with the 7th Light Cavalry until December 1930, when he was appointed to the Indian Political Service (IPS).[4] With the IPS he served in Sibi, Zhob, Mekran and Peshawar in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP). He saw extensive combat during World War II as part of the British Indian Army in several different campaigns in Europe and Burma.[5]
In January 1941, as City Magistrate, Peshawar, North West Frontier Province he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire.[6]
Roles
editIn May 1943 he was appointed consul for the Portuguese Possessions in India at Nova Goa, and then as consul for the French Establishments in India at Pondicherry. Subsequently he served in the following roles:[7]
- First Secretary to the Agent-General in India for the USA 1946,
- Counsellor Pakistan Embassy at Washington DC 1947-1949 (Chargé d'Affaires ad interim 1947),
- Acting High Commissioner for Pakistan in Canada 1949,
- Minister in the Pakistan Embassy to the USA, Washington DC 1950-1951,
- Foreign Secretary, Karachi 1951-1952,
- High Commissioner to Canada 1953-1958,[8]
- Secretary-General CENTO 1 January 1959 – 31 December 1961.[9]
Personal life
editHe married Juliette Jamil (1911-2003), an English woman. He had a younger brother, Mirza Rashid Ali Baig (1905-1979) who was a diplomat for India post Independence.
He died February 1992 in London.
References
edit- ^ "An Alliance Personified; Mirza Osman Ali Baig". The New York Times. 8 October 1959.
- ^ "Clifton College Register" Muirhead, J.A.O. p356: Bristol; J.W Arrowsmith for Old Cliftonian Society; April, 1948
- ^ Clifton College Register 1862-1925
- ^ January 1931 Indian Army List
- ^ History of services of officers holding gazetted appointments under the foreign and political department. Corrected up to 1st July 1935.
- ^ London Gazette 1 January 1941
- ^ Boardman Family Tree website. http://www.boardman.in/family-history-record/baig-mirza-osman-ali
- ^ Also cited in Kumaraswamy, "Beyond the Veil: Israel-Pakistan Relations". ISBN 965-459-041-7 Tel Aviv: Tel Aviv University, Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies. (2000). PR. http://www.inss.org.il/uploadimages/Import/(FILE)1190278291.pdf
- ^ "International Organizations A-L".