Dr. Raja Muhammad Ikram Azam

Dr. R.M. Ikram Azam is the Co-Founder and Hony. Co-Chairperson of The PFI: Pakistan Futuristics Foundation and Institute. He is a free-lance writer, author of over 125 books in English, ranging from fiction and verse to research work in Futuristics: Islam, Pakistan, Creativity, Literary Studies, Research Methodology, Education, Basic: Life, Education and Language Skills, Moral Values Education and Integrated Family Studies, Interfaith Interaction, Social Change, Geosociology: Geopolitics, Geoeconomics, Geostrategy, International Political Economy, and Peace Studies. Dr. Azam has also edited and contributed to, additionally, another over 25 books. He has had his education in Pakistan, the USA and U.K. Dr. Azam is the conferee of several distinctions: literary awards and academic honours. He is a Fellow of the WFSF (World Futures Studies Federation), USA; and a Life Member, and Member of the Global Advisory Council of the WFS (World Future Society), USA. Dr. Ikram Azam is a recipient of the Warner Bloomberg Award, USA, for “Excellence in Futures Studies” (1998), and the Cultural Doctorate (C.D.) in “Futuristics Philosophy”, from the World University (Roundtable), USA (2000). Dr. Azam is a graduate (‘ndc’) of the NDC (National Defence College), Pakistan (1979-80). Being the Pioneer Founder of Futuristics in Pakistan, he is the Hony. Chairman of The PFI: The Pakistan Futuristics Foundation and Institute, an NGPI: Non-Governmental Peace Institute (started in July, 1986), and its literary-educational predecessor peer wing the Margalla Voices, Islamabad (1976), Pakistan. As an Educator, he is associated with some local-national institutions and universities as a Visiting Professor. He has supervised the research work of several Graduate, and Post-Graduate (M.A.; M.Phil. and Ph.D.) students and scholars. His focus is on Preferable Normative Social Change engineered through Creativity: Human Integrated Holistic Development by means of Creative Education As “Irfan”: Enlightenment, Moral Values Education, Basic Life, Language, and Education and Communicative Skills and Integrated Family Studies. Dr. Azam conceptualized and introduced “Advanced Integrated Studies” in Pakistan. He has also presented the concept of Geosociology in his pioneering work, Geosociology and the Future, (The PFI; 2004). His latest work on the subject is: Global Peace the Geosociological Imperative and the Imperial Hubris. The PFI; 2013 (UP). He highlights the Geosociology of the Third/Muslim World and its indigenous peoples, cultures, languages, literatures, and ideologies. The recent latest/conferments on him include:

· Entry in the IBC, Cambridge UK, Dictionary of International Biography: 1998-1999.

· IBC Foremost Professionals and 2000 Outstanding Intellectuals of the World: 2008.

· International Professional of the Year 2007, UK; 2007.

· IBC 21^st Century Award of Achievement: 2008.

· IBC Leading Educators of the World: 2008.

· Fellow, Advisory Directorate International, USA: 2009.

· The International Plato Award For Educational Achievement, UK; 2009.

· International Educator of the Year 2009, UK; 2009.

· American Order of Merit; 2012.

Dr. Ikram Azam was invited by the IKIU: Imam Khomeini International University, Iran in September, 2012, for an intensive-extensive interactive lecture tour, on Futuristics, for a week. That resulted in a IKIU-PFI MOU for cooperation in Higher Education focusing Futures Studies.

As a Futurist, he conceived of Islami Futurism and Futuristics as a distinct school of thought in the Futures Field --- which is now well-established in Iran, under his inspiration. His persistent theme is Islam: The Perennial Peace Paradigm, and Muhammadi Moral Model, in the local-national, regional and global context. As an educational innovator, he, alongwith his sister, Dr. Miss Zohra Azam, (Patron, Co-Founder, Donor and Hony. Chairperson, The PFI), has developed the original concept of The PFI Futuristics Pakistani Paradigm of Education, in their several books on Education.

For the PFI, Education means Creativity and Enlightenment (“Irfan”), and HRD (Human Resource Development) is Integrative Holistic Human Development. The objective is Moral-Material-Secular-Spiritual-Intellectual Self-Realization. The means is the Basic Life Skills imparted as Basic Educational Skills. Creativity is among Dr. Azam’s core values.

Dr. Ikram Azam, a senior retired career civil servant of the Govt. of Pakistan, had served the Federal Ministry of Education, twice in responsible positions, first as a DEA: Deputy Educational Advisor, (in the Culture and Curriculum Wings), and later as the MD, NBF, and DG, NBCP (National Book Foundation, National Book Council of Pakistan). He was approved for promotion specifically as Federal Secretary of Education, Govt. of Pakistan. (1993). He retired in Grade / Scale 21, from the CBR (Central Board of Revenue), Ministry of Finance, Govt. of Pakistan. (1995). His parent service was The PTS: Pakistan Taxation Service; and parent Department: Income Tax.

He was also a Member, Board of Governors, `Taleem’ (Education) Foundation, Quetta. He is also a Life Member of the Sir Syed (Educational) Memorial Society, and the Sultana (Educational) Foundation, both in Islamabad. Dr. Azam was additionally, a member of the Executive Council of the Nazriya Pakistan Council (Foundation), Islamabad. He was an Hony. Member, BOM (Board of Management), Rawalpindi Medical College/Allied Hospitals, Rawalpindi, Govt. of the Punjab (2003-2008). Dr. Ikram Azam was a Member of the BOG, National Institute of Pakistan Studies, the Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad (1980-95).

Dr. Azam believes in Futuristic Altruistic Ethical Economics. His books on the subject are:

i. The New Political Economy Paradigm. (The PFI; 2003).

ii. Globalization and Futuristic Altruistic Ethical Economics. (The PFI; 2005).

iii. International Political Economy: Globalization and Altruistic Ethical Economics. (The PFI; 2010.).

The last mentioned was selected by the ISESCO (in 2011) for translation into Arabic and French. Some of his books on Futuristics have also been translated in Iran into Farsi. In Nov., 2010, Dr. Ikram Azam was invited by the ISESCO to participate in an international conference in Rabat, Morocco. Before that, he and Dr. Zohra AZam were invited by the Jamiyah Singapore to participate in its international conference in 2005.

Dr. Azam is very widely travelled for participating by invitation in many international conferences on Futuristics, Peace and Education. As a senior citizen, he is settled in Islamabad. Dr. Azam’s latest reborn hobby is Nature Painting, which supplements and complements his creative and research writing. Even in painting he is prolific. He already has hundreds of paintings to his credit.