Makhdum Ahmed was born in Bangladesh. Soon after his birth, he contracted polio even before he learned to talk leaving him disabled for life. However, he has recovered somewhat and he started to walk at 11 years of age. He completed his secondary and high school education in Dhaka, Bangladesh. During his medical school days and residency training, he began to fathom the difficulty of living in a world with a disability. He completed his MBBS from the University of Dhaka in 2006 and his residency from Mitford Hospital. In 2008, he won the Australian Leadership Award from AusAID for excellence in academic education and leadership in employment to study for his Masters in Australia. He completed MPH with Distinction from University of Wollongong, Australia in 2009. He started his professional career in Bangladesh Thalassemia Foundation as a medical officer with a view to work for the children and adolescents living with chronic diseases. He also worked for the International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh as a medical officer in an H1N1/ Swine flu intervention project. He believes in capacity development of the poor and vulnerable in order to establish health equity.