Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah

Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah (5 December 1905 – 8 September 1982) was an Indian politician who played a central role in the politics of Jammu and Kashmir. Abdullah was the founding leader and President of the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference (later renamed Jammu and Kashmir National Conference). He agitated against the rule of the Maharaja Hari Singh and urged self-rule for Kashmir. He is also known as Sher-e-Kashmir ("Lion of Kashmir") and Father of the State of Jammu & Kashmir ("Baba-e-Qaum").

He served as the first elected Prime Minister of the Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir and Jammu & Kashmir as a State and was later jailed by Indian government citing his support to insurgents. He was dismissed from the position of Prime Minister on 8 August 1953 and Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad was appointed the new prime minister. The expressions 'Sadr-i-Riyasat' and 'Prime Minister' were replaced with the terms 'Governor' and 'Chief Minister' in 1965. Sheikh Abdullah again became the Chief Minister of the state following the accord with Indira in 1974 and remained in the top slot till his death on 8 September 1982. His grandson Omar Abdullah is currently the chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir.