Who was Hamed Gohar, the subject of Tuesday's Google Doodle?

The search engine paid tribute to the founding father of oceanography in Egypt and the Arab world

Google is paying homage to Hamed Gohar, who is widely considered the founding father of oceanography in Egypt and the Arab world. Photo: Google

A generation of Arabs know Hamed Gohar as the host of Sea World, a TV show he fronted for more than 18 years.

The renowned Egyptian scientist and marine biologist would have been 115 on November 15. Google is paying homage to the man who is widely considered the founding father of oceanography in Egypt and the Arab world with a dedicated doodle on its search page.

It features an illustrated scene of Gohar at sea, hosting his show from the underwater world he knew best.

Who was Hamed Gohar?

Born in 1907 in Cairo, Gohar studied medicine at Cairo University from 1925 and pursued a master's degree in oceanography at the University of Cambridge in the UK six years later.

He made some incredible contributions to Egyptian and Arab marine biology, working with the Arabic Language Academy to create scientific dictionaries in Arabic and serving as an adviser to the UN secretary general. He also helped organise the first International Conference on Law of the Sea in Geneva.

He started out by researching xenia, or soft coral, along the Red Sea coast, and soon discovered that the dugong, which was thought to be extinct in the region, still existed in that area.

He studied underwater life for 25 years at the Hurghada marine biological station and hosted Sea World, sharing the ocean's secrets with a generation of Arabs.

In the show, he highlighted underwater scenery and natural sea life, inspiring young people with his knowledge and passion for the ocean depths.

His Google biography says he was rumoured to never eat fish because of his love for sea creatures.

The doodle can be seen on Google's search page across North Africa, the Arabian Gulf and Iraq.

Google pays homage to the Mena region

The search engine often pays tribute to famous figures across the Mena region. Last month, it celebrated the life of Moroccan singer Haja El Hamdaouia, who influenced several generations of artists with her innovative style of Moroccan chaabi music.

Earlier, it marked what would have been Egyptian historian Mostafa Abdel-Hamid El-Abbadi's 94th birthday.

Scroll through the gallery below to see other regional Google Doodles over the past few years

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  A Google Doodle celebrating Egyptian actress Karima Mokhtar's 89th birthday. All images: Google

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  Egyptian writer Ihsan Abdel Quddous

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  Kuwaiti actor and comedian Abdulhussain Abdulredha's 83rd birthday

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  UAE National Day 2022 Google Doodle.

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  Ousha Al Suwaidi was a poetess from the United Arab Emirates.

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  Prof. Hamed Abdel Fattah Goher was an Egyptian oceanographer, scientist and TV presenter.

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  Tunisia's Tawhida Ben Cheikh was a pioneer in women's medicine.

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  Google Doodle of Egyptian actor and director Nour El-Sherif honours him on what would have been his 75th birthday.

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  Google celebrates Syrian-Egyptian composer and actor Farid Al Atrash with a Google Doodle to mark what would have been his 110th birthday.

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  Children's author Notaila Rashed is honoured with a special Google Doodle to mark her 86th birthday.

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  Egyptian actress, producer, writer and filmmaker Bahiga Hafez was born 112 years ago, on August 4.

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  The Google Doodle for January 20, 2020, celebrates Mufidah Abdul Rahman, Egypt's first female lawyer.

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  A Google Doodle on June 10, 2019, celebrates Egyptian author Ahmed Khaled Towfik.

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  Google Doodle honours Persian mathematician, poet and astronomer Omar Khayyam on what would have been his 971st birthday.

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  Mary Mounib was a renowned actress in the Egyptian cinema scene. Her 114th birthday is marked in a Google Doodle on February 11, 2019.

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  Egyptian poet Gamila El Alaily is honoured in a Google Doodle on March 20, 2019.

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  Syrian artist Louay Kayali is the subject of Google's doodle on January 20, 2019.

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  Egyptian-French singer and actress Dalida is honoured on her birthday by Google Doodle, on January 17, 2019.

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  Egyptian actress Hind Rostom is celebrated in a Google Doodle on her 87th birthday, on November 12, 2018.

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  Ibn Sina, one of the greatest thinkers of Islam's golden age, is honoured on August 7, 2018.

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  A Google Doodle honours Saudi musician Talal Maddah on what would have been his 78th birthday, on August 5, 2018.

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  A Google Doodle gif marks Egyptian actor Omar Sharif's birthday on April 10, 2018.

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  Egyptian poet Farouk Shousha is honoured by Google on what would have been his 82nd birthday, on January 9, 2018.

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  Google celebrates Lebanese singer Sabah's 90th birthday on November 10, 2017.

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  Egyptian painter Inji Aflatoun's Google Doodle pays homage to her style of bold brushstrokes.

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  Google celebrates the birthday of Algerian painter Mohammed Khadda, who was born on March 14, 1930.

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  Lebanese singer-songwriter Melham Barakat is honoured by Google on his birthday.