Prof. Hamida was fondly called as ‘Hammo Apa’. She did her schooling from St. Mary’s School in Allahabad, and was awarded the best student award in her High School, besides being valedictorian.

Thereafter, she joined Aligarh Muslim University and did her BA, MA and was a gold medalist in both undergraduate and graduate degrees. She joined the University as a Lecturer, before becoming a Reader. She completed her PhD and went on to become a Professor and Chairperson in the Department of Psychology, Aligarh Muslim University.

She was married to Prof. Khwaja Shamim Ahmad, a distinguished academician himself and also holding a number of important positions in the University and beyond including being the Vice Chancellor of the university. They brilliantly nurtured and brought up their three children who have followed their teaching – Dr. Armeen Ahmad , Nausheen Ahmad and Yasir Ahmad

Besides academics, she was closely involved in a number of educational and administrative initiatives including –

• Chairperson, Department of Psychology, AMU
• Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, AMU
• Director, Centre of Distance Education, AMU
• Provost, Abdullah College, AMU
• Member, University Grants Commission (UGC)
• Director, Career Planning Centre, Abdullah College, AMU
• Manager, AMU City Girls High School, AMU
• Member, Maulana Azad Foundation
• Director, Academic Staff College, AMU
• Member, Managing Committee, Etawah Islamia College

Prof. Hamida Ahmad has guided more than 20 research studies leading to PhD and has numerous research papers published in Indian and International journals.

She has travelled to Turkey, Chile, USA, KSA and many other countries on both academic and personal pursuits. She was one of the leading names in India on Clinical Psychology and has presented papers and has been the keynote speaker in a number of national and international events.

As an academician, she genuinely enjoyed the process of imparting education and ensured beyond addressing the responsibilities of her official roles, her home was always open to those who sought help and assistance from her.

She has taught students aspiring for Central Services in her free time, and evenings in her home was always bustling with students who she both taught and mentored. Quite a number of her students went on to become high ranking officers in the Central Government after clearing their competition (IAS, IRS and more), something that all of them still fondly remember and appreciate her efforts.