Sajida was born on June 24, 1941, in Bengaluru, India. She is preceded in death by her mother, Pyari Begum (1962), her father, Dr. K. Nabi Shariff (1977) and only sister, Dr. Rokhya Begum/ Zia (2012).

Sajida graduated from Govt. Empress Girl's  High School in Tumakuru. She received  her bachelors in science  from Government First Grade College in Tumakuru and received her M.S. in Zoology from Central College, Bengaluru, University of Mysore.

In 1964, She married Ibrahim B. Syed and shortly after had her son Mubin (1965) and daughter, Zafrin (1968). Sajida took pride in raising kind children and her proudest moments were when her children became Physicians. Sajida first worked as a research assistant at the University of Maryland, Baltimore's oncology department and later worked as a Certified Senior Cytogenetics Technologist at Weisskopf's Child Evaluation Center at the University of Louisville and retired in 2001.

Sajida was instrumental in her family's immigration to the United States and supported her husband in sponsoring green cards for his 7 siblings and their individual families.

She is survived by her husband Ibrahim of nearly 59 years, her son Mubin (Afshan), their children: Nadia, Rehan and Lena, her daughter Zafrin and granddaughter Zorianna.

We would like to thank:  Hosparus Health, her family doctor Veronica Edwards, ARNP and Laurel Ely, R.N. for all of their diligence in providing care to Sajida and Comfort to our family.