Maulana Yakub Hasan Sait or simply Yakub Hasan Sait was an Indian businessman, freedom-fighter and politician who served as the Minister for Public Works in the Madras Presidency from 1937 to 1939. Yakub Hasan Sait was born in Nagpur and educated in Aligarh University. At a very young age, he moved to Bangalore for business purposes and settled in Madras in the year 1901. He served as a member of the Madras Corporation and as a member of the Madras Legislative Council. From 1937 to 1939, he served as the Minister of Public Works in the Rajaji government. Yakub Hasan Sait was a member of the Muslim League and later, the Indian National Congress. He was the only Muslim minister in Rajaji's 1937 cabinet.
In 1916, Sait was elected to the Madras Legislative Council by the South Indian Chamber of Commerce. He joined the Indian National Congress and participated in the Khilafat agitations in 1919 and was imprisoned for six months. He was arrested and imprisoned once again in 1921 for his participation in the Non-Cooperation Movement. On his return from jail in 1923, he resigned from the Congress and founded the Madras Province Muslim League. This move was prompted by Sait's preference for Dominion Status when the Congress declaration of independence as its primary goal.As a result, no Muslim leader from the Presidency participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement. Sait stood for the elections and was elected to the Assembly. In 1927, Sait allied with the United Nationalist party of N. G. Ranga.
In 1916, Sait was elected to the Madras Legislative Council by the South Indian Chamber of Commerce. He joined the Indian National Congress and participated in the Khilafat agitations in 1919 and was imprisoned for six months. He was arrested and imprisoned once again in 1921 for his participation in the Non-Cooperation Movement. On his return from jail in 1923, he resigned from the Congress and founded the Madras Province Muslim League. This move was prompted by Sait's preference for Dominion Status when the Congress declaration of independence as its primary goal. As a result, no Muslim leader from the Presidency participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement. Sait stood for the elections and was elected to the Assembly. In 1927, Sait allied with the United Nationalist party of N. G. Ranga.
A little before the 1937 elections, Sait, left the Madras Provincial Muslim League and joined the Indian National Congress. Soon, he became one of the top leaders of the provincial Congress. He condemned Mohammad Iqbal's two-nation theory and supported an united India. However, he still supported most of the other policies of the Muslim League.In March 1940, a few months after resigning as Minister, Sait suffered chest pains and had to be hospitalized. He died soon afterwards.