Professor Mohammad-Hassan Ganji, the father of modern geography in Iran, passed away on July 19.

IBNA: Mohammad-Hassan Ganji, credited as being the father of modern geography in Iran, died in Tehran on Thursday due to brain hemorrhage. He was 100.

Founder of the Iran Meteorological Organization was born in 1911 in the southeastern city of Birjand. He started his academic studies in the capital Tehran and travelled to Britain and the US to complete his studies and obtain a PhD in geography and climatic sciences.

Ganji taught at the University of Tehran for 37 years before he retired with honors in 1975. He was the first to teach modern geography at Iranian universities.

The prolific scholar established the Iran Meteorological Organization in 1955 and served as the head of Iran's Department General of Meteorology from 1956 to 1968.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) awarded Dr. Ganji as the outstanding scientist of the world in 2001 to recognize his life-long efforts and achievements in his field of expertise.

Ganji has published several books, including the Atlas of Iranian Climates as well as over 130 articles in Persian and English. 

In April 2011, Iran paid tribute to veteran scholar Mohammad-Hassan Ganji during a ceremony held at Tehran's Sa'adabad Cultural and Historical Complex. The ceremony was organized by Iran's Eternal Figures Committee to celebrate Ganji's 100th birth anniversary.
 
His funeral procession will be held on Monday, July 23, in Birjand.

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