Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, GCMG, is a politician from Maldives who served as the President of Maldives from 1978 to 2008. After serving as Minister of Transport, he was nominated as President by the Majlis of the Maldives and succeeded Ibrahim Nasir in 1978. Gayoom was defeated in the October 2008 presidential election. In opposition, Gayoom continued to serve as leader of the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party until January 2010, when he retired from active politics. However, in September 2011, he returned to Maldivian politics as the leader of the newly formed Progressive Party of Maldives. 

December 29th, 1937 in Malé (Age 86)