KUALA LUMPUR: Following yesterday's election of the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong in the 263rd (Special) Meeting of the Conference of Rulers, Perak Sultan, Sultan Nazrin Shah, was re-elected as the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
He will work alongside the newly elected 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, effective Jan 31 next year.
Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Al-Maghfur-Lah was born on Nov 27, 1956.
In the Perak sultanate, he was made Raja Kechil Besar, a Titled Prince to the throne, on Feb, 16 1984.
He then became the Raja Muda (Crown Prince) on April 15, 1987.
Upon the demise of his father, His Royal Highness Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah, on May 28, 2014, the Dewan Negara proclaimed Raja Nazrin Shah as the 35th Sultan of Perak as Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah.
His Royal Highness received his early education at Jalan Kuantan Primary School, and thereafter at St. John's Institution, both in Kuala Lumpur.
He subsequently went on to finish his schooling at The Leys School, Cambridge, in the United Kingdom at the age of 13.
He then furthered his study at the University of Oxford and obtained bachelor's degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, before pursuing a PhD in Political Economy and Government, both from Harvard University.
Sultan Nazrin is an honorary fellow at Worcester College, Universiti Oxford; and Magdalene College and St. Edmund's College, Universiti Cambridge; trustee of Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, Universiti Oxford, Royal fellow of Malaysia Institute of Defense and Security (MIDAS); Royal fellow of Institute of Strategic and International Studies Malaysia, Royal fellow of Institute of Public Security Malaysia (IPSOM); and the Royal patron for Malaysia International Islamic Financial Centre.
Sultan Nazrin was appointed by Yang Dipertuan Agong as the fourth Universiti Malaya chancellor, which took effect on July 16, 2014.
On Aug 14, 2014, he became the Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Army Engineers Regiment and Royal Army Medical Corps.
Sultan Nazrin Shah is married to Tuanku Zara Salim. The royal couple has a son, Raja Azlan Muzzaffar Shah and a daughter Raja Nazira Safya.
Tuanku Zara Salim was born on March 22, 1973 in Ipoh, Perak.
She is the youngest of four children of Datuk Salim Davidson and Datin Sharifah Azaliah Syed Omar Shahabudin.
Tuanku Zara received her early education at Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Convent Ipoh and SMK Convent Ipoh before obtaining her A-level at Prime College, Kuala Lumpur.
She then further her studies at the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom, and graduated with first class honours in chemical engineering.
Upon returning from the United Kingdom in 1995, she started her career at Petronas which she worked with for six years before joining an information technology company, Formis Malaysia Bhd.
In 2005, she was appointed the managing director of Forthwave Consulting Sdn Bhd, a hydrocarbon consulting company.
Tuanku Zara tied the knot with Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah Ibni Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Al- Maghfur-Lah on May 17, 2007.
On May 18, 2007, she was proclaimed Raja Puan Besar Perak and was crowned the Raja Permaisuri Perak on June 20, 2014.
She was blessed with two children, Raja Azlan Muzzaffar Shah and Raja Nazira Safya.
A purple hybrid orchid was named 'Dendrobium Tuanku Zara Salim' during her visit at the seventh International Orchid Festival on July 9, 2007
Tuanku Zara was made the Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) chancellor on Jan 1, 2012.
Her royal highness is also the patron for Perak Family Health Association, Convent Girls Alumni (COGA) and Perak Girl Guides.