Born in 1937 and educated at Al-Azhar University of Egypt, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (NGIV) served as President of Maldives from 1978 to 2008, being elected for six consecutive terms. He is the Founder/Chairman of a non-political non-for-profit organization, The Maumoon Foundation.

His first political post was Special Under-Secretary to the Prime Minister in 1974. He served in 1976-1977 as the Maldives’ Permanent Representative to the United Nations. Later in 1977, Mr. Gayoom was appointed Minister of Transport, and then in November 1978, was elected President in a landslide.

President Gayoom is a member of the Supreme Council of Muslim World League. He was awarded the Global 500 Honour Roll by the UNEP in 1988, the International Environment Award by DRV in 1998, Man of the Sea Award for 1990 by Lega Navale Italiana in 1991, and TERI’s Sustainable Development Leadership Award in 2008. He was awarded the Grand Order of Mugunghawa by the Republic of Korea in 1984, Knight Grand Cross of St. Michael and St. George (GCMG) by Queen Elizabeth in 1997, the WHO Health-for-All Gold Medal in 1998, the Shield of Al-Azhar University of Cairo in 2002 and the “Lanka Mithra Vibushana” – in 2008. In 2013, President Gayoom was conferred the Nishan Ghaazeege Izzathuge Verikan – the highest State honour of the Maldives.

President Gayoom’s leisure interests include reading, astronomy, photography, calligraphy, badminton and cricket.