University of Basrah Organizes a Discussion Session on a Historical Economic Figure
The Basrah and Arabian Gulf Studies Center at the University of Basrah organized a discussion session entitled:
(Al-Hajj Abdul-Hussein Noor Muhammad Geeta, 1911–1969).
The session, presented by researcher Rafal Hisham Khmas, aimed to shed light on one of the most prominent economic figures in modern Iraqi history, Al-Hajj Abdul-Hussein Noor Muhammad Geeta (1911–1969), a businessman of Indian origin who settled in the city of Basrah due to its significant commercial and economic position and its direct access to the Arabian Gulf.
The session highlighted that Geeta embraced Twelver Shi’a Islam and contributed to building an extensive network of commercial and economic relations spanning India, East Africa, and Pakistan, in addition to strong regional and local connections. He left a clear mark on Basra’s society by constructing several mosques, husayniyas, and establishing a children’s ward in the Royal Hospital (currently the Republican Hospital).
The session also discussed the circumstances surrounding the end of his life, as he was executed by hanging in Umm Al-Broom Square in central Basrah alongside several merchants after being falsely accused of espionage for foreign countries during the rule of Ahmed Hassan Al-Bakr. Today, Geeta is considered one of Basrah’s most notable martyrs in its modern history.
Department of Media and Governmental Communication
