While pursuing his studies at Aligarh Muslim University he came in contact with Kunwar Muhammed Ashraf and become member of the All India Students Federation.

During his service in British Indian Army, during the Second World War, he was posted at various officers training schools of India such as Bangalore, RIASC Depot Ferozpur (Punjab), Waziristan (N.W.F.P), Naushera (N.W.F.P) Khanpur Camp (Delhi), Bareilly Cantt (United Province), Bhiwandi Army training Camp (Maharashtra), Singapore, Ipoh, Penang, Kualalampur (Malaya), Arakan, and Rangoon (now Yangoon).

[citation needed] In 1967 he played a key role in the formation of the first Non-Congress Samyukta Vidhayak Dal (SVD) government in Uttar Pradesh led by Charan Singh, who became Prime Minister of India in 1979.

He wrote his autobiography Na Rahoon Kisi ka Dastenigar-Mera Safarnama in 2008, which was released on 3 January 2009, on his ninetieth birthday in New Delhi by Shri Surendra Mohan, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Ram Vilas Paswan, Ramjilal Suman, Saghir Ahmad and many other friends and colleagues.

[citation needed] Ali died on 11 October 2014 at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh due to heart failure.