Noor Muhammad Lakhair founder of Noor Muhammad High School

Noor Muhammad Lakhair s/o Mian Muhammad Sijawal Lakhair  born on 16 Sep 1845 (21 Shabaan, 1261 Hijri) in Village Chakro, Taluka Dokri, District Larkana. His was father was Primary School Teacher who migrated from his native village to Village Juma Lakhair, Kakar (near Dadu). Sijawal Lakhair had three sons and Noor Muhammad was the youngest.

Noor Muhammad was intelligent and taking keen interest in getting education since his father decided to get him educated. Noor Muhammad got primary education upto 4^th grade at his native village under the supervision of his father. Afterwards he got admitted in Sindh Madarstul Islam and got education till matriculation.  He got bachelors in Art from Ali Garh College with the personal interest of Sardar Muhammad Yaqub. Later he got LLB and started advocacy practice at Hyderabad Dakhan.  Besides interested in education, he also involved himself in politics since; he was elected as member of Bombay Legislative Council in 1923.

Noor Muhammad married twice from which he had only 1 daughter Aapa Mehar Noor Muhammad but he was not blessed with son, since he left Hyderabad Dakhan and returned back to Sindh, where he was appointed as Judge in Khairpur, but he was interested in Advocacy since he left judge’s seat and started his career his advocate. His nature was to pursue poor people and get educated Muslims to get their children educated.  He played an important role in freedom movement in Sindh and was among the fighters who moved violently for rights of Sindhi Muslims and he took part in separation of Bombay from Sindh. Noor Muhammad Lakhair was an active member of Sindh Muhammadan Association established by Hassan Ali Effendi as well as he emerged as an active leader in khilafat movement. He attended Sindh Muslim Educational Conferences held during 1924. He established Muslim Educational Society in 1925. 

He is famous as founder of Noor Muhammad High School and Muslim Hostel Hyderabad.  History of Noor Muhammad High School is illustrated in succeeding paras.

Britain Government established an education institute with the name of Hyderabad High School at Hyderabad Dr. Bhandarkar was appointed as headmaster of the school which was  upgraded and renamed as Noor Muhammad High School in 1930 keeping in view the efforts of Noor Muhammad Lakhair. The school was second highest education institute for Muslims in Sindh. In this consequence, Noor Mohammad Lakhir wrote to Aligarh to look for services of Muslim teachers for this school. School’s building constructed in 1933. It is learnt through sources with the funds donated different zamindars.

It has also been learnt through other sources that the School was established by British Government during 1858 with the name Hyderabad High School and it was only one educational institution in area. School was renamed as Noor Muhammad High School after he succeeded in geeting it from British government during 1924.

Building of the school was partitioned with one part for Noor Muhammad High School and the other for Muslim Science College after independence in 1947.

On 30 October 1933, Sir Ghulam Hussain Hidayatullah, revenue and finance member of council of government of Bombay Muslim Hostel in Hyderabad, Sindh founded Muslim Hostel opposite Civil Hospital Hyderabad for the boarding and accommodation facilitation of students coming in Noor Muhammad High School from other parts of Sindh which was inaugurated by Sir Leslie Wilson, governor of Sindh. The hostel consisted two halls, 57 rooms, seven residential rooms, two superintendent halls,  18 bathrooms, one mosque and two kitchens. The hostel was being used by student of the school till 1980s; however, after outburst of ethnic disputes in city, the hostel was evacuated and then occupied by the law enforcing agencies personnel. Afterwards, the entire hostel is under their control and converted into a Headquarters of Qasim Rangers.

Noor Muhammad Lakhir expired on 22 Aug 1937 (3 Zilqaad 1356 Hijri). According to his last wishes he was laid to rest in Muslim Hostel Hyderabad. His will before dying was to establish a "Muslim University" in Hyderabad.