Mangaluru: Dr B Sheik Ali (98), the founder vice-chancellor of Mangalore and Goa Universities, passed away at a private hospital in Mysuru on Thursday.

He was a student of the University of Mysore and had retired as a professor of History. He was responsible for the emergence of a number of scholars in History from the University of Mysore.

He was also the founder and president of Sultan Shaheed Education Trust and Moulana Azad Institutions. A major share of his research work is related to the period of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan.

He successfully debunked the myth that Tipu Sultan was a king with religious zeal and proved that he was a secular patriot. Some of Sheik Ali’s works include 'History: Its Theory and Method', 'History of Western Ganges’ And 'Goa Wins Freedom: Reflections and Reminiscences'.