Maumoon Abdul Gayoom
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Maumoon Abdul Gayoom مومون عبدالقیوم GCMG |
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| 3rd President of the Maldives | |
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In office 11 November 1978 – 11 November 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Ibrahim Nasir |
| Succeeded by | Mohamed Nasheed |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
29 December 1937 Malé, Maldives |
| Political party |
PPM Z-Faction (2016–present) Progressive Party of Maldives (2011–2016) Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (2005–2011) Independent (Until 2005) |
| Spouse(s) | Nasreena Ibrahim |
| Children |
Dunya Maumoon Yumna Maumoon Farish Maumoon Ghassan Maumoon |
| Religion | Islam |
Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (Maldivian: މައުމޫން އަބްދުލް ގައްޔޫމް; born December 29, 1937) is a politician from Maldives who served as the President of Maldives from 1978 to 2008. After serving as Minister of Transport, he was nominated as President by the Majlis (Parliament) of the Maldives and succeeded Ibrahim Nasir in 1978. Gayoom was defeated in the October 2008 presidential election. In opposition, Gayoom continued to serve as leader of the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party until January 2010, when he retired from active politics. However, in September 2011, he returned to Maldivian politics as the leader of the newly formed Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).
Mamoon Abdul Gayoom is the son of Abdul Gayoom Ibrahim (Maafaiygey Dhon Seedhi) and Khadheeja Moosa. His father had 25 children from 8 wives. Gayoom is the 11th child of his family.
Gayoom spent most of his youth in Egypt. He was part of a group of 15 students chosen at the initiative of Mohamed Amin Didi to get an education abroad. At the age of 10, in 1947, he embarked for Egypt. However, because of the troubles which led to the Arab-Israeli war of 1948–1949, his layover in Ceylon, scheduled to last several days, lasted for two and a half years during which he studied at the prestigious Royal College, Colombo.
He eventually reached Egypt in March 1950, after the end of the conflict.
Gayoom attended Galamuniyaa University. He spent six months learning Arabic. He joined the Faculty and graduated with honors in 1966, at the top of his class. He was congratulated by Gamal Abdel Nasser. He also obtained a secondary level certificate in English Language at the American University in Cairo.
During his studies, he led a group of 14 Maldivian students who sent a letter to Prime Minister Ibrahim Nasir. They asked him to reconsider his desire to establish diplomatic relations with Israel. Following this letter, their scholarships were removed and the students were taken under the care of the Egyptian government. This support stopped after graduation in 1966, however, and Gayoom was forced to end his studies.
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