Iqbal Quadir - Founder of Grameenphone, Career and Personal Life
Home › Bangladeshi › Iqbal QuadirAugust 13, 1958479 viewsIqbal Quadir's Personal Details
Iqbal Z
| Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birthday | August 13, 1958 |
| Nationality | Bangladeshi |
| Famous | Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, Wharton School Of The University Of Pennsylvania, Telecommunication, Miscellaneous, Educators, Founder of Grameenphone |
| Universities |
|
| Notable Alumnis |
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| Founder / Co-Founder |
|
| Birth Place | Jessore District |
| Gender | Male |
| Sun Sign | Leo |
| Born in | Jessore District |
| Famous as | Founder of Grameenphone |
Iqbal Quadir's photo
Who is Iqbal Quadir?
Iqbal Z. Quadir is the founder of Gonofone and Grameenphone. Inspired by his upbringing as an impoverished youth in rural Bangladesh, he recognized the need for better communication between citizens and providers of goods and services. He completed two Masters Degrees at the University of Pennsylvania and worked for several international financial companies before founding Gonofone and Grameenphone. Through Grameenphone, Quadir used mobile devices to provide a national communication system to the people of Bangladesh. Quadir has taught at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. At MIT, he established the Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship. He created numerous foundations to benefit the rural poor in third world nations, one of which funded an essay competition that led to the genesis of a method that extracts arsenic from water and soil. Financial Aid from first world nations frequently fails developing nations in the long term due to the fact that the source of funding is a crutch rather than a solution to the problems the citizens of the country face. Quadir's efforts to empower the underprivileged have allowed millions of people to earn a larger income which in turn enables them to provide basic comforts for their families.
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Childhood & Early Life
Iqubal Quadir was born in Narail, Jessore, Bangladesh on August 13, 1958, to Anwarul Quadir, who was a lawyer. His siblings include Kamal and Khalid Quadir, pioneers in the financial and public service sectors.
He completed secondary school at the Jhenidah Cadet College, a military boarding school located in Jhenidah, Bangladesh.
Quadir and his siblings pursued advanced education in the United States after the death of their father in 1972.
Career
In 1981, he graduated with honors from Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, with a Bachelors of Science degree.
Between 1983 and 1987, he earned Master of Arts and Master of Business Administration degrees at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
He moved steadily upward through the financial business world from 1983 to 1993, starting as a consultant for World Bank and eventually becoming the vice president of the Atrium Capital Corporation.
In a joint partnership with GrameenBank, Quadir established Grameenphone in 1997 which provided the citizens of Bangladesh with their first national communication system.
As a fellow at Harvard University's Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government from 2001 to 2005, he led graduate courses focused on technology's influence in developing nations.
Quadir transferred to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology which allowed him to found and serve as director for the Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship.
He co-organized Innovations in 2006, a periodical that documents philanthropy of significance.
He created Emergence Bio-Energy Incorporated to establish small power plants to generate energy for rural Bangladeshians, of whom 70% have no access to the national electricity grid.
In 2010, Quadir developed Money in Motion which provides mobile based financial services.
CleanWater, one of Quadir's newer projects, focuses on removing arsenic from drinking water using a chemical preparation rather than expensive equipment.
Another innovation, CellBazaar, is similar to Craigslist in that it puts prospective sellers in touch with buyers but through a simple text messaging system.
Major Works
He established the Anwarul Quadir Foundation in 2004 to encourage modernization in Bangladesh. The group created an essay competition that would lead one of its participants to evolve a method to extract arsenic from water and soil.
Awards & Achievements
He was recognized by the World Economic Forum in 1999 as a Global Leader of Tomorrow for his innovative leadership approach in expanding horizons for the citizens of Bangladesh.
Quadir received the Rotary Club of Metropolitan Dhaka’s 2006 Science, Education and Economic Development Award for generating Bangladeshi telephone access.
In 2007, his graduate alma mater recognized him as one of 125 Influential People and Ideas.
Personal Life & Legacy
Quadir's efforts in the creation of Grameenphone brought international recognition to the idea that investments which create industry in developing countries propagate large scale change for the nation's citizens.
He is part of the board of directors for the World Wide Web Foundation, an organization that champions affordable and uncensored internet access.
Quadir is also on the board of the Global Fairness Initiative which contributes efforts to provide economic advancement to the working poor.
Through his work at the Legatum Center, Iqbal Quadir has been able to continue expanding entrepreneurial development programs in low income countries.
Trivia
He has been acknowledged as one of the first innovators to recognize the affect that mobile technology could have on third world countries.
His innovative economic approach has been referred to in many publications and was primarily sourced in ‘You Can Hear Me Now’ by Nicholas Sullivan.
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Iqbal Quadir biography timelines
- // 13th Aug 1958Iqubal Quadir was born in Narail, Jessore, Bangladesh on August 13, 1958, to Anwarul Quadir, who was a lawyer. His siblings include Kamal and Khalid Quadir, pioneers in the financial and public service sectors.
- // 1972Quadir and his siblings pursued advanced education in the United States after the death of their father in 1972.
- // 1981In 1981, he graduated with honors from Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, with a Bachelors of Science degree.
- // 1983 To 1987Between 1983 and 1987, he earned Master of Arts and Master of Business Administration degrees at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
- // 1983 To 1993He moved steadily upward through the financial business world from 1983 to 1993, starting as a consultant for World Bank and eventually becoming the vice president of the Atrium Capital Corporation.
- // 1997In a joint partnership with GrameenBank, Quadir established Grameenphone in 1997 which provided the citizens of Bangladesh with their first national communication system.
- // 1999He was recognized by the World Economic Forum in 1999 as a Global Leader of Tomorrow for his innovative leadership approach in expanding horizons for the citizens of Bangladesh.
- // 2001 To 2005As a fellow at Harvard University's Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government from 2001 to 2005, he led graduate courses focused on technology's influence in developing nations.
- // 2004He established the Anwarul Quadir Foundation in 2004 to encourage modernization in Bangladesh. The group created an essay competition that would lead one of its participants to evolve a method to extract arsenic from water and soil.
- // 2006He co-organized Innovations in 2006, a periodical that documents philanthropy of significance.
- // 2006Quadir received the Rotary Club of Metropolitan Dhaka’s 2006 Science, Education and Economic Development Award for generating Bangladeshi telephone access.
- // 2007In 2007, his graduate alma mater recognized him as one of 125 Influential People and Ideas.
- // 2010In 2010, Quadir developed Money in Motion which provides mobile based financial services.
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Iqbal Quadir's FAQ
What is Iqbal Quadir birthday?
Iqbal Quadir was born at 1958-08-13
Where is Iqbal Quadir's birth place?
Iqbal Quadir was born in Jessore District
What is Iqbal Quadir nationalities?
Iqbal Quadir's nationalities is Bangladeshi
What was Iqbal Quadir universities?
Iqbal Quadir studied at Massachusetts Institute Of Technology (MIT),Wharton School Of The University Of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Swarthmore College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
What was Iqbal Quadir notable alumnis?
Iqbal Quadir's notable alumnis is Massachusetts Institute Of Technology (MIT), Wharton School Of The University Of Pennsylvania
Which company or organization was founded by Iqbal Quadir?
Iqbal Quadir was the founder/co-founder of Grameenphone, Emergence BioEnergy, Legatum Center at MIT
What is Iqbal Quadir's sun sign?
Iqbal Quadir is Leo
How famous is Iqbal Quadir?
Iqbal Quadir is famouse as Founder of Grameenphone