The Order of the Distinguished Rule of Izzuddin (ODRI) has been conferred upon Dr Mohamed Latheef in recognition of his more than four decades of dedicated service and outstanding contributions to the nation's development.

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu presented the award at a special ceremony held today to commemorate the 61st Independence Day of the Maldives.

Dr Latheef has played a pivotal role in the development of the Maldives' education sector. He served as Minister of Education from 11 November 1993, leading efforts to establish educational institutions, strengthen teacher training programmes and implement reforms to enhance the quality of education nationwide.

During his tenure, he contributed to the development of the Maldives Education Master Plan and spearheaded initiatives to expand access to higher education across the country.

Beyond the education sector, Dr Latheef has served the nation in several key leadership roles. He began his diplomatic career as Third Secretary at the Maldivian Embassy in Sri Lanka before serving as the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Maldives to the United Nations.

He also played a central role in establishing and strengthening the Maldives Civil Service, serving first as a member and later as President of the Civil Service Commission. In addition, he served on the National Planning Council and the National Education Council, contributing to the formulation of national policies and development strategies.

Dr Latheef began his public service career on 18 May 1973 after completing his education at Majeedhiyya School. He later served as a Member of Parliament and as Chancellor of the Maldives National University (MNU), where he worked to broaden the university's academic offerings and strengthen its institutional capacity.

He holds a PhD and a Master's degree in Educational Planning from the University of Wales in the United Kingdom.

The conferment of the ODRI recognises Dr Latheef's lifelong dedication and distinguished contributions to education, public administration, diplomacy and the national development of the Maldives.