The Suhrawardy family with over nine hundred years of recorded history has been one of the oldest leading noble families and
political dynasties of the
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a physiographical region in Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian Ocean from the Himalayas. Geopolitically, it includes the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India ...
and is regarded as an important influencer during the
Bengali Renaissance
The Bengal Renaissance (Bengali: বাংলার নবজাগরণ — ''Banglar Navajagaran''), also known as the Bengali Renaissance, was a cultural, social, intellectual, and artistic movement that took place in the Bengal region of ...
.
The family has produced many intellectuals who have contributed substantially in the fields of
politics
Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that stud ...
,
education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. ...
,
literature
Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to inclu ...
,
art,
poetry
Poetry (derived from the Greek '' poiesis'', "making"), also called verse, is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language − such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre − to evoke meanings ...
,
socio-religious and
social reformation. Numerous members of the family, both biological descendants and those married into the family, have had prolific careers as politicians, lawyers, judges, barristers, artists, academicians, social workers, activists, writers, public intellectuals, ministers, educationists, statesmen, diplomats and social reformers.
Family history
The family origin can be traced back to the 11th Century Iranian philosopher and writer
Abu al-Najib Suhrawardi, who founded the
Suhrawardiyya Sufi order and the dynasty in 1118 A.D. The family gets its name from
Shorevard, a city in
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkm ...
where Najib took birth, learnt, preached and eventually founded the Sufi order.
The family line continued through
Shihab al-Din 'Umar al-Suhrawardi
Shahab al-Din Abu Hafs Umar Suhrawardi (c. 1145 – 1234) was a Persian Sufi and nephew of Abu al-Najib Suhrawardi.
He expanded the Sufi order of Suhrawardiyya that had been created by his uncle Abu al-Najib Suhrawardi, and is the person res ...
, one of whose grandsons migrated to
Multan
Multan (; ) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan, on the bank of the Chenab River. Multan is Pakistan's seventh largest city as per the 2017 census, and the major cultural, religious and economic centre of southern Punjab.
Multan is one of the olde ...
in 1207 during the
Mamluk
Mamluk ( ar, مملوك, mamlūk (singular), , ''mamālīk'' (plural), translated as "one who is owned", meaning "slave", also transliterated as ''Mameluke'', ''mamluq'', ''mamluke'', ''mameluk'', ''mameluke'', ''mamaluke'', or ''marmeluke'') i ...
rule in India, making the Suhrawardys first of the Sufis to come to India even before the
Chistis. The family has produced many philosophers and saints since then who were greatly revered by the
Mamluks
Mamluk ( ar, مملوك, mamlūk (singular), , ''mamālīk'' (plural), translated as "one who is owned", meaning "slave", also transliterated as ''Mameluke'', ''mamluq'', ''mamluke'', ''mameluk'', ''mameluke'', ''mamaluke'', or ''marmeluke'') i ...
, as they played a major role in consolidating the position of the empire in Multan through their preachings.
Bahauddin Zakaria Suhrawardi declared
Iltutmish
Shams ud-Din Iltutmish ( fa, شمس الدین ایلتتمش; died 30 April 1236, ) was the third of the Mamluk dynasty (Delhi), Mamluk kings who ruled the former Ghurid Empire, Ghurid territories in northern India. He was the first Muslim sove ...
as the lawful successor of
Qutubuddin Aibak which helped Iltutmish in securing his rule in the sub-continent, causing his enemies such as
Nasir-ud-din Qabacha to retreat. That very year, Iltutmish awarded Bahauddin Zakaria with the title of "
Sheikh ul Islam". The Suhrawardis received the royal patronage too. The subsequent successive
Sultans of Delhi
Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it c ...
remained loyal to the Suhrawardis, including
Alauddin Khilji
Alaud-Dīn Khaljī, also called Alauddin Khilji or Alauddin Ghilji (), born Ali Gurshasp, was an emperor of the Khalji dynasty that ruled the Delhi Sultanate in the Indian subcontinent. Alauddin instituted a number of significant administrative ...
who received Sheikh Ruknuddin Suhrawardi personally at Delhi gate and kissed his feet as a mark of respect. The dargaah of
Makhdoom Yahya Maneri Suhrawardi, another scion of this family was frequently visited by
Babur
Babur ( fa, , lit= tiger, translit= Bābur; ; 14 February 148326 December 1530), born Mīrzā Zahīr ud-Dīn Muhammad, was the founder of the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent. He was a descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan through his ...
,
Bahlol Lodi
Bahlul Khan Lodi (12 July 1489) was the chief of the Pashtun Lodi tribe. Founder of the Lodi dynasty from the Delhi Sultanate upon the abdication of the last claimant from the previous Sayyid rule. Bahlul became sultan of the dynasty on 19 ...
and later by
Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri ( ps, شیرشاه سوری)
(1472, or 1486 – 22 May 1545), born Farīd Khān ( ps, فرید خان)
, was the founder of the Sur Empire in India, with its capital in Sasaram in modern-day Bihar. He standardized the silver coin ...
. The
Tuglaqs too greatly admired the Suhrawardys, the
Tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam
The Tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam ( Punjabi and ur, ) located in Multan, Pakistan, is the mausoleum of the 14th century Punjabi Sufi saint Sheikh Rukn-ud-Din Abul Fateh. The shrine is considered to be the earliest example of Tughluq architecture ...
, the grandson of
Bahauddin Zakariya Suhrawardi was commissioned and built by
Ghias ud din Tuglaq in 1324 A.D, who was a humble follower of the former and used to visit him often in
Multan
Multan (; ) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan, on the bank of the Chenab River. Multan is Pakistan's seventh largest city as per the 2017 census, and the major cultural, religious and economic centre of southern Punjab.
Multan is one of the olde ...
.
According to the family tradition and the accounts of
Shahab al-Din Yahya ibn Habash Suhrawardi
"Shihāb ad-Dīn" Yahya ibn Habash Suhrawardī ( fa, شهابالدین سهروردی, also known as Sohrevardi) (1154–1191) was a PersianEdward Craig, Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, "al-Suhrawardi, Shihab al-Din Yahya (1154-91)" Ro ...
, the family lineage can further be traced back to
Hazrat Abu Bakr and from there up to
Hazrat Adam, the first man on earth via
Adnan
Adnan ( ar, عدنان, 'adnān) is the traditional ancestor of the Adnanite Arabs of Northern, Western, Eastern and Central Arabia, as opposed to the Qahtanite Arabs of Southern Arabia who descend from Qahtan. His ancestry can be traced back ...
,
Ishmael
Ishmael ''Ismaḗl''; Classical/Qur'anic Arabic: إِسْمَٰعِيْل; Modern Standard Arabic: إِسْمَاعِيْل ''ʾIsmāʿīl''; la, Ismael was the first son of Abraham, the common patriarch of the Abrahamic religions; and is cons ...
,
Abraham
Abraham, ; ar, , , name=, group= (originally Abram) is the common Hebrews, Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Judaism, he is the founding father of the Covenant (biblical), special ...
and
Noah
Noah ''Nukh''; am, ኖህ, ''Noḥ''; ar, نُوح '; grc, Νῶε ''Nôe'' () is the tenth and last of the pre-Flood patriarchs in the traditions of Abrahamic religions. His story appears in the Hebrew Bible (Book of Genesis, chapters 5� ...
. Moreover the records mention one of the dynasty's earliest known ancestor to have originated from the
Mesopotamian civilization
Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the F ...
, who used to live in the city of
Ur back in 6400 B.C. during the
Ubaid period
The Ubaid period (c. 6500–3700 BC) is a prehistoric period of Mesopotamia. The name derives from Tell al-'Ubaid where the earliest large excavation of Ubaid period material was conducted initially in 1919 by Henry Hall and later by Leonard Woo ...
.
The founder of the
Nizam Shahi dynasty
of
Hyderabad
Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part ...
, Deccan,
Nizam-ul-Mulk, Asaf Jah I
Mir Qamar-ud-din Khan Siddiqi Bayafandi (11 August 16711 June 1748) also known as Chin Qilich qamaruddin Khan, Nizam-ul-Mulk, Asaf Jah and Nizam I, was the 1st Nizam of Hyderabad. He was married to the daughter of a Syed nobleman of Gulbarga. H ...
(1724) too has descended from the Bayanfandi clan of the Suhrawardi dynasty.
The Bengali Suhrawardys are the descendants of the Shiraaji clan of this Suhrawardi dynasty, who migrated from
Multan
Multan (; ) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan, on the bank of the Chenab River. Multan is Pakistan's seventh largest city as per the 2017 census, and the major cultural, religious and economic centre of southern Punjab.
Multan is one of the olde ...
to
Bengal
Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...
in the 15th Century, when Bengal was ruled by the
Hussain Shahi dynasty. Much of their early history is evidently synonymous with the history of the
Suhrawardiyya order.
The family however has been known since the medieval times in East India for its piety, wisdom, forthrightness, religious and socio political reformations, which they brought by playing a key role in influencing the politics in Bengal until the death of Sirajuddin Shah Suhrawardy, who was closely involved with the
Ashfar dynasty, Sharfunnesa Begum Sahiba and
Nawab Siraj ud Daulah, the last independent
Nawab of Bengal
The Nawab of Bengal ( bn, বাংলার নবাব) was the hereditary ruler of Bengal Subah in Mughal India. In the early 18th-century, the Nawab of Bengal was the ''de facto'' independent ruler of the three regions of Bengal, Bihar, ...
. It was only after the
Battle of Plassey
The Battle of Plassey was a decisive victory of the British East India Company over the Nawab of Bengal and his French allies on 23 June 1757, under the leadership of Robert Clive. The victory was made possible by the defection of Mir Jafar, ...
in 1757, that the family officially found itself in a situation where it could no longer play a role in influencing the machinations of the monarchical politics in Bengal, hence the family briefly turned to mysticism. Until
Ubaidullah al Ubaidi Suhrawardy
Ubaidullah Al Ubaidi Suhrawardy ( ar, عبيد الله العبيدي السهروردي, bn, ওবায়দুল্লাহ আল ওবায়দী সোহরাওয়ার্দী; 1832 – 9 February 1885) was a Bengali ...
rose to prominence and overturned the family's fortune, as a result of which the family soon found its place back in the political arena.
Ubaidullah did not consider himself a mystic and turned away from the family traditions to establish a new legacy altogether, thus making his father Shah Aminuddin Suhrawardy the last Sufi Pir of this dynasty.
Ubaidullah's children, grand children, great grandchildren and successive generations all grew up to play major roles in administration and politics and made significant contributions in the field of art, literature, law and social reformation, making their family,
British Bengal
The Bengal Presidency, officially the Presidency of Fort William and later Bengal Province, was a subdivision of the British Empire in India. At the height of its territorial jurisdiction, it covered large parts of what is now South Asia and ...
's most prominent family and subsequently one of the most exceptionally illustrious families of the
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a physiographical region in Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian Ocean from the Himalayas. Geopolitically, it includes the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India ...
Family background
The Suhrawardys are
Ashrafs (high born Muslims) and the direct descendants of the first
Caliph of Islam,
Abu Bakr
Abu Bakr Abdallah ibn Uthman Abi Quhafa (; – 23 August 634) was the senior companion and was, through his daughter Aisha, a father-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, as well as the first caliph of Islam. He is known with the honori ...
(573 A.D - 634 A.D) and are hence of Arab decent.
However, their ancestor, Saad Bin Al Hassan migrated from
Arab
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Wester ...
to
Sohrevard
Sohrevard ( fa, سهرورد, also Romanized as Sohravard) is a city in the Central District of Khodabandeh County, Zanjan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 5,786, in 1,356 families.
Sohrevard was the birthplace of the t ...
in
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkm ...
in 812 A.D., to save himself from incurring the wrath of the Caliph,
Al Amin on a matter of principle, during the
fourth fitna civil war (811 - 813 A.D.). In Iran, his great great great great grandchild,
Abu al-Najib Suhrawardi established the
Suhrawardiyya Sufi order, dynasty and family in 1118 A.D, hence the Suhrawardys have a significant Iranian heritage too.
They came to the
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a physiographical region in Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian Ocean from the Himalayas. Geopolitically, it includes the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India ...
in 1207 A.D. to expand the
Suhrawardiyya Sufi order and settled in
Multan
Multan (; ) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan, on the bank of the Chenab River. Multan is Pakistan's seventh largest city as per the 2017 census, and the major cultural, religious and economic centre of southern Punjab.
Multan is one of the olde ...
, from where the Shiraaji Suhrawardys migrated to
Bengal
Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...
in the 15th century to popularize the ideas of
Sufism
Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, ...
in the East. The subsequent generations were thus endowed with a mix of Arab, Iranian and Indian heritages.
The
Bengal renaissance of the 19th century was an extraordinary period of societal transformation in the fields of arts, literature, culture, music, politics, administration and education. The Bengal Renaissance was the culmination of the process of emergence of the cultural characteristics of the Bengali people that had started in the age of
Alauddin Hussain Shah (1493–1519) under whose rule the Suhrawardys came to
Bengal
Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...
from
Multan
Multan (; ) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan, on the bank of the Chenab River. Multan is Pakistan's seventh largest city as per the 2017 census, and the major cultural, religious and economic centre of southern Punjab.
Multan is one of the olde ...
. This revolution, however, lasted for around three centuries, and had a tremendous impact on the Bengali society. It was also during this remarkable period, that the saying "What Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow" resonated throughout the rest of India. This time frame coincided with the resurrection of the Suhrawardy family and the rise of the
Tagore family
The Tagore family (also spelled as ''Thakur''), with over three hundred years of history,Deb, Chitra, pp 64–65. has been one of the leading families of Calcutta, India, and is regarded as one of the key influencers during the Bengali Renaissa ...
.
The Suhrawardy family just like the
Tagore family
The Tagore family (also spelled as ''Thakur''), with over three hundred years of history,Deb, Chitra, pp 64–65. has been one of the leading families of Calcutta, India, and is regarded as one of the key influencers during the Bengali Renaissa ...
attained prominence during this period mostly because of their unusual social positioning between the Indians and the European influences. Both the families dominated the fields of arts, education, public service and politics of that period.
Branches of the Suhrawardy family
Medinipur branch
Ubaidullah Al Ubaidi Suhrawardy
Ubaidullah Al Ubaidi Suhrawardy ( ar, عبيد الله العبيدي السهروردي, bn, ওবায়দুল্লাহ আল ওবায়দী সোহরাওয়ার্দী; 1832 – 9 February 1885) was a Bengali ...
: born in
Medinipur, which once used to be the nucleus of the Suhrawardy family. Ubaidullah was a learned scholar, educationist, writer and social reformer. He is said to have paved the base on which the modern Suhrawardy family stood. In 1857, in the wake of
Sepoy Mutiny he passed the Final Central Examinations from
Calcutta Madrasa. In 1874, he was appointed as the first superintendent of Dhaka Madrasah. Ubaidullah is the writer of the famous Persian books ''Lubul Arab'' (Arabic grammar), ''Urdu Diwan" (Urdu poems, 1880), "Farsi Dewan" (Persian poems, 1886), "Dastar-e-Parsi Amuz" (Persian grammar)'', including a number of manuscripts on women's education, psychology and philosophy. The British government later awarded him with the title of "Bahr ul Ulm" (meaning sea of knowledge).
Abdullah Al-Mamun Suhrawardy
Sir Abdullah al-Mamun Suhrawardy (31 May 1877 – 13 January 1935) was a Bengali Islamic scholar, barrister, and academic. He was the Tagore Law Lecturer in 1911 and involved in notable educational work. Abdullah was the first Indian to attai ...
: Abdullah was the eldest son of
Ubaidullah Al Ubaidi Suhrawardy
Ubaidullah Al Ubaidi Suhrawardy ( ar, عبيد الله العبيدي السهروردي, bn, ওবায়দুল্লাহ আল ওবায়দী সোহরাওয়ার্দী; 1832 – 9 February 1885) was a Bengali ...
. He graduated in 1898 in Arabic, English and Philosophy obtaining a first class in his special subjects and standing the first of his year both in the B.A. and M.A. examinations of
Calcutta University
The University of Calcutta (informally known as Calcutta University; CU) is a public collegiate state university in India, located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Considered one of best state research university all over India every year, C ...
. He also earned a PhD degree from
Calcutta University
The University of Calcutta (informally known as Calcutta University; CU) is a public collegiate state university in India, located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Considered one of best state research university all over India every year, C ...
in 1908 and became the first person to do so in
Bengal
Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...
. He later did another masters from
London University
The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degr ...
. He founded the Pan Islamic Society of London. On his return to
Calcutta
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comm ...
, he was elected to the
Bengal legislative council
The Bengal Legislative Council ( was the legislative council of Bengal Presidency, British Bengal (now Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal).
It was the legislature of the Bengal Presidency during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. ...
. Abdullah was also selected as a member of the Reforms Franchise Committee under
Montague-Chelmsford reforms. He served as the deputy President of the Bengal Legislature from 1923 to 1926. He was then elected to
Indian Legislative Assembly
The Central Legislative Assembly was the lower house of the Imperial Legislative Council, the legislature of British India. It was created by the Government of India Act 1919, implementing the Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms. It was also sometim ...
. As a member of the central legislative assembly, to the central committee which in 1929 collaborated with
Simon commission
The Indian Statutory Commission also known as Simon Commission, was a group of seven Members of Parliament under the chairmanship of Sir John Simon. The commission arrived in India in 1928 to study constitutional reform in Britain's largest a ...
, he sympathized with the
Odias and his report on Odia speaking population in Bengal, which he prepared on the behalf of Simon Commission, amplified the demands of the Odias and later paved the way for the creation of a separate odia speaking province,
Odisha
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of Sc ...
. Abdullah married Sahibzadi Ahmedi Begum the daughter of Sahibzada Mohammad Mirza Ali Nakey. Suhrawardy was a close friend of
Leo Tolstoj
Count Lev Nikolayevich TolstoyTolstoy pronounced his first name as , which corresponds to the romanization ''Lyov''. () (; russian: link=no, Лев Николаевич Толстой,In Tolstoy's day, his name was written as in pre-refor ...
. He was later
knight
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the G ...
ed in 1931. For his profound learning and vast knowledge, the
Ottoman Turkish
Turkish may refer to:
*a Turkic language spoken by the Turks
* of or about Turkey
** Turkish language
*** Turkish alphabet
** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation
*** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey
*** Turkish communities and mi ...
Sultan decorated him with the medal of 'Tamgha-e-Majidi', whereas, the
Shah of Iran
This is a list of monarchs of Persia (or monarchs of the Iranic peoples, in present-day Iran), which are known by the royal title Shah or Shahanshah. This list starts from the establishment of the Medes around 671 BCE until the deposition of the ...
awarded him with the title of 'Iftekhar-ul-Millat' (meaning: pride of the Muslim nation).
Khujista Akhtar Banu
Khujista Akhtar Banu Suhrawardiyya (also spelled as Khujastha Akhtar Banu) popularly known as Suhrawardy Begum was a late 19th century writer, Bengali socialite, educationist and a social reformer. Khujista was the first Indian woman to pass ...
: Khujista was the eldest daughter of
Ubaidullah Al Ubaidi Suhrawardy
Ubaidullah Al Ubaidi Suhrawardy ( ar, عبيد الله العبيدي السهروردي, bn, ওবায়দুল্লাহ আল ওবায়দী সোহরাওয়ার্দী; 1832 – 9 February 1885) was a Bengali ...
. She was a writer, scholar, and social worker. Khujista was home schooled as a child. She learnt Persian, Urdu, Arabic and English from her father. In 1887, she became the first Indian woman to have passed the
Senior Cambridge examinations. Khujista was also the first woman to be appointed as an examiner by the
Calcutta University
The University of Calcutta (informally known as Calcutta University; CU) is a public collegiate state university in India, located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Considered one of best state research university all over India every year, C ...
. As a writer, she wrote the famous book "Aaina e Ibrat", which was approved by Calcutta University and was incorporated in the syllabus for all its affiliated colleges. She founded the Suhrawardia Girls High school in 1909, which was inaugurated by Lady Minto. Khujista undertook various social work campaigns, she personally visited the slums to educate the marginalized communities about health and sanitation during the wake of
Influenza
Influenza, commonly known as "the flu", is an infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms range from mild to severe and often include fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pain, headache, coughing, and fatigue. These symptom ...
and
Cholera. She married her first cousin,
Zahid Suhrawardy.
Kaisar i Hind
Hassan Suhrawardy
Lieutenant-Colonel Hassan Suhrawardy CStJ, FRCS (17 November 1884 – 18 September 1946) was a Bengali surgeon, military officer in the British Indian Army, politician, and a public official. He was the former chairman of the executive commi ...
: Hassan was the younger son of
Ubaidullah Al Ubaidi Suhrawardy
Ubaidullah Al Ubaidi Suhrawardy ( ar, عبيد الله العبيدي السهروردي, bn, ওবায়দুল্লাহ আল ওবায়দী সোহরাওয়ার্দী; 1832 – 9 February 1885) was a Bengali ...
. Hassan served as the lieutenant Colonel in the
British Indian Army. He was also a politician, public official and also the first Muslim
Vice Chancellor of Calcutta University
The vice-chancellor of the University of Calcutta, a university in Kolkata, India, is the executive head of the university. Following the establishment in 1857, James William Colvile served as the first vice-chancellor of the university.
List ...
(1930-1934). He was the second Muslim from the undivided India to become a fellow of the
Royal College of Surgeons of England
The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) is an independent professional body and registered charity that promotes and advances standards of surgical care for patients, and regulates surgery and dentistry in England and Wales. The ...
. Suhrawardy later served as an advisor to the
Simon Commission
The Indian Statutory Commission also known as Simon Commission, was a group of seven Members of Parliament under the chairmanship of Sir John Simon. The commission arrived in India in 1928 to study constitutional reform in Britain's largest a ...
and was a member of the
Bengal Legislative Council
The Bengal Legislative Council ( was the legislative council of Bengal Presidency, British Bengal (now Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal).
It was the legislature of the Bengal Presidency during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. ...
of which he was Deputy President from 1923 to 1925. As the Chief Medical and Health Officer of the
East Indian Railway, he founded the railway's ambulance and nursing division. Hassan was also the founder of the
East London Mosque. Hassan also served as the advisor to the
Secretary of State for India
His (or Her) Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for India, known for short as the India Secretary or the Indian Secretary, was the British Cabinet minister and the political head of the India Office responsible for the governance of ...
from 1939 to 1944. Hassan was appointed an
OBE
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
in the 1927 Birthday Honours list and was awarded the Kaiser-i-Hind Medal, First Class in the same honours list in 1930, knighted on 17 February 1932 and appointed an Associate Officer of the
Venerable Order of St. John (OStJ) in January 1932 and was promoted to the rank of Associate Commander in January 1937. He later renounced his all his British honours. The "Suhrawardy Avenue" in
Calcutta
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comm ...
was named after him in April 1933.
Hassan was married to Sahibzadi Shahbanu Begum, the daughter of Nawab Syed Mohammad Azad of Dhaka and the granddaughter of
Nawab Abdul Latif
Nawab Bahadur Abdul Latif (1828 – 10 July 1893) was a 19th-century Bengali aristocrat, educator and social worker. His title, ''Nawab'' was awarded by the British in 1880. He was one of the first Muslims in 19th-century India to embrace the i ...
. Their children were Hassan Masud Suhrawardy and
Shaista Suhrawardy Ikramullah.
Family of Hassan Suhrawardy
Shaista Suhrawardy Ikramullah: Shaista was the daughter of
Hassan Suhrawardy
Lieutenant-Colonel Hassan Suhrawardy CStJ, FRCS (17 November 1884 – 18 September 1946) was a Bengali surgeon, military officer in the British Indian Army, politician, and a public official. He was the former chairman of the executive commi ...
. She graduated from
Loreto College, Kolkata
Loreto College is a Catholic women's college in Kolkata, India. Affiliated with the University of Calcutta, the college focuses on liberal arts and sciences. It was established in 1912 by the Religious Order of the Institute of the Blessed Vi ...
. Shaista was also the first Muslim woman to earn a PhD degree from the prestigious
London University
The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degr ...
. In 1933, she was married to
Mohammed Ikramullah
Mohammad Ikramullah KCMG (hon), CIE (15 January 1903 – 12 September 1963) was a figure in the administration of Pakistan at the time of independence of Pakistan on 14 August 1947. As a member of the provisional government of Pakistan, be ...
, who was the secretary and advisor at the Ministries of Commerce, Information and Broadcasting, Commonwealth Relations and Foreign Affairs. She wrote for Tehzeeb-e-Niswan and Ismat, both Urdu women's magazines, and later wrote for English-language newspapers. In 1950 her collection of short stories called Koshish-e-Natamaam, was published. Her autobiography, From Purdah to Parliament (1963), is her best-known writing which she translated into Urdu to make it more accessible. After Partition, she was elected to the Constituent Assembly of India in 1946, but never took the seat because of the immense pressure that the
Muslim league leaders exerted on her. However, after Partition, she became one of two female representatives at the first Constituent Assembly of Pakistan in 1947. She was also a delegate to the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonizi ...
, and worked on the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is an international document adopted by the United Nations General Assembly that enshrines the rights and freedoms of all human beings. Drafted by a UN committee chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt, ...
(1948) and the
Convention Against Genocide (1951). She was Pakistan's Ambassador to
Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria ...
from 1964 to 1967.
Mohammed Ikramullah
Mohammad Ikramullah KCMG (hon), CIE (15 January 1903 – 12 September 1963) was a figure in the administration of Pakistan at the time of independence of Pakistan on 14 August 1947. As a member of the provisional government of Pakistan, be ...
: Ikramullah was the son in law of
Hassan Suhrawardy
Lieutenant-Colonel Hassan Suhrawardy CStJ, FRCS (17 November 1884 – 18 September 1946) was a Bengali surgeon, military officer in the British Indian Army, politician, and a public official. He was the former chairman of the executive commi ...
and the husband of
Shaista Suhrawardy. Ikramullah's brother
Mohammed Hidayatullah was the
Chief Justice of India
The chief justice of India ( IAST: ) is the chief judge of the Supreme Court of India as well as the highest-ranking officer of the Indian Judiciary. The Constitution of India grants power to the president of India to appoint, in consultation ...
from 1968 to 1970 and the
Vice President of India
The vice president of India ( IAST: ) is the deputy to the head of state of the Republic of India, i.e. the president of India. The office of vice president is the second-highest constitutional office after the president and ranks second in th ...
from 1979 to 1984. Ikramullah had joined the Indian Civil Service in 1934. Later, Ikramullah served as the Advisor to the preparatory commissions of the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonizi ...
in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
and
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
, and at its first general assembly, between 1945 and 1946. He was appointed a
CIE (Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire) in the
1946 New Year Honours. He moved to
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
following the partition of
India
India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...
, where he was appointed as the foreign secretary of Pakistan. Ikramullah played key roles in establishing the Commonwealth Economic Committee and had been nominated as
Secretary-General
Secretary is a title often used in organizations to indicate a person having a certain amount of authority, power, or importance in the organization. Secretaries announce important events and communicate to the organization. The term is derive ...
of the
Commonwealth
A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with " republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from th ...
at the time of his death in 1963.
Princess Sarvath Al Hassan: Sarvath is the youngest daughter of
Shaista Suhrawardy and
Mohammed Ikramullah
Mohammad Ikramullah KCMG (hon), CIE (15 January 1903 – 12 September 1963) was a figure in the administration of Pakistan at the time of independence of Pakistan on 14 August 1947. As a member of the provisional government of Pakistan, be ...
. She lived in all the countries that her parents were posted to, but mostly received her education in
Britain
Britain most often refers to:
* The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands
* Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...
, and received her bachelor's degree from the
University of Cambridge
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
. She first met Prince Hassan in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
in 1958, when they were both eleven years old. Sarvath married
Prince Hassan bin Talal of
Jordan
Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Ri ...
on 28 August 1968. Princess Sarvath served as Crown Princess of Jordan for over 30 years. She initiated, sponsored and continues to support many projects and activities in Jordan, mainly in the field of education, in addition to issues pertaining to women and the family, social welfare and health. Much of her work focuses on promoting education about various topics (both locally and internationally), assisting disadvantaged women, encouraging community service and helping people with mental and learning disabilities. Princess Sarvath and her husband continue to represent Jordan at international royal events, such as the wedding of
Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden
Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, Duchess of Västergötland (Victoria Ingrid Alice Désirée; born 14 July 1977) is the heir apparent to the Swedish throne, as the eldest child of King Carl XVI Gustaf. If she ascends to the throne as expec ...
, and the coronation of King
Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands
Willem-Alexander (; Willem-Alexander Claus George Ferdinand; born ) is King of the Netherlands, having acceded to the throne following his mother's abdication in 2013.
Willem-Alexander was born in Utrecht as the oldest child of Princess Beat ...
. In 2013, she rode in the carriage of
Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
at
Ascot Racecourse
Ascot Racecourse ("ascot" pronounced , often pronounced ) is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, which is used for thoroughbred horse racing. It hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 horse races a ...
.
Salma Sobhan: Also known as Rashida Akhtar Banu. She was the daughter of
Shaista Suhrawardy and a
Bangladeshi
Bangladeshis ( bn, বাংলাদেশী ) are the citizens of Bangladesh, a South Asian country centered on the transnational historical region of Bengal along the eponymous bay.
Bangladeshi citizenship was formed in 1971, when the ...
lawyer and human rights activist. In 2001, she was elected to the Board of the United Nations Research Institute For Social Development (UNRISD). She married
Rehman Sobhan, an economist and a freedom fighter. The Protichi Foundation started by Amartya Sen has instituted an award for journalists in Salma's name.
Naz Ikramullah
Naz Ikramullah Ashraf (née Naz Ikramullah) is a British- Canadian artist and film producer of Pakistani-Bengali origin.
Background
Ikramullah was born in London, England to a Muslim family. Her father, Mohammed Ikramullah, later became the ...
: Naz the daughter of
Shaista Suhrawardy. She is a film producer. Naz designed and wrote a filmstrip for the
NFB film Making Faces, which won the First Prize for
Art Education
Visual arts education is the area of learning that is based upon the kind of art that one can see, visual arts—drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, and design in jewelry, pottery, weaving, fabrics, etc. and design applied to more practi ...
in Oakland, California in 1989. She also completed a film regarding the cultural life of Muslim women of the Indian Subcontinent. She teaches painting and printmaking at the
Ottawa School of Art.
Family of Amin Suhrawardy
Amin Suhrawardy
Amin Suhrawardy was a Bengalis, Bengali judge, academic and a prominent Sorcerer (supernatural), sorcerer of his time. He served as the subordinate judge of Calcutta High court from 1887 to 1891. He was a professor of law at Calcutta University ...
: Amin was the youngest son of
Ubaidullah Al Ubaidi Suhrawardy
Ubaidullah Al Ubaidi Suhrawardy ( ar, عبيد الله العبيدي السهروردي, bn, ওবায়দুল্লাহ আল ওবায়দী সোহরাওয়ার্দী; 1832 – 9 February 1885) was a Bengali ...
from his second wife. He was a professor of law at
University of Calcutta
The University of Calcutta (informally known as Calcutta University; CU) is a public collegiate state university in India, located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Considered one of best state research university all over India every year, C ...
, he later became a sub judge of Calcutta High court. Besides his legal background, Amin was also a very renowned sorcerer. Amin and
Ganapati Chakraborty
Ganapati Chakraborty ( bn, গণপতি চক্রবর্তী; 1858 – 20 November 1939) was a magician from Kolkata known for his mesmerizing tricks. He is considered to be the pioneer of modern magic in Bengal. He was the mentor of P. ...
were the only two prominent magicians at that time in
Bengal
Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...
. Amin was also one of the mentors of
P.C Sorcar.
Begum Badar un nissa Akhtar
Begum Badar un Nissa Akhtar (1894 -1956; Midnapore) was an Indian social reformer and educator from Cuttack, Odisha. She is known for challenging the stringent and orthodox societal norms and for encouraging and enabling muslim girls to receiv ...
: Badrun nissa was the only daughter of
Amin Suhrawardy
Amin Suhrawardy was a Bengalis, Bengali judge, academic and a prominent Sorcerer (supernatural), sorcerer of his time. He served as the subordinate judge of Calcutta High court from 1887 to 1891. He was a professor of law at Calcutta University ...
and hence the only surviving grandchild of
Ubaidullah Al Ubaidi Suhrawardy
Ubaidullah Al Ubaidi Suhrawardy ( ar, عبيد الله العبيدي السهروردي, bn, ওবায়দুল্লাহ আল ওবায়দী সোহরাওয়ার্দী; 1832 – 9 February 1885) was a Bengali ...
and his second wife. Badrun nissa was married into the Diwan family of
Dhenkanal state in
Cuttack
Cuttack (, or officially Kataka ) in Odia is the former capital and the second largest city in the Indian state of Odisha. It is the headquarters of the Cuttack district. The name of the city is an anglicised form of ''Kataka'' which literall ...
, to
Sayeed Mohammed, an educationist, philanthropist and a scholar. Sayeed's father
Atharuddin Mohammed
Atharuddin Mohammed also known as Athar Mohammed was an Odia military officer, feudatory chief ''( Samanta)'' of Madhi (present day : Kamakhyanagar) and the '' Dewan'' of the princely state of Dhenkanal during ''Raja Dinabandhu Mahendra Bahadur'' ...
was the feudal lord of Madhi, the Diwan of the princely state of
Dhenkanal
Dhenkanal is a town and a municipality in Dhenkanal district in the state of Odisha, India.
Geography
Dhenkanal is at . It has an average elevation of 80 metres (262 feet).
Demographics
As per the 2011 India census, Dhenkanal had a p ...
and one of early members of Utkal Sabha (the organisation which fought for the unification of Odia speaking provinces). However, after, Sayeed's untimely death in 1922, Badrun nissa was debarred from the family title and property as per the Mehroom al Mariaz tradition of
Islamic Shariat. Hence Badrun nissa gave her children, her father's (
Amin Suhrawardy
Amin Suhrawardy was a Bengalis, Bengali judge, academic and a prominent Sorcerer (supernatural), sorcerer of his time. He served as the subordinate judge of Calcutta High court from 1887 to 1891. He was a professor of law at Calcutta University ...
's) name and thus the family assumed its surname "Amin". Badrun nissa like many of her female forebearers, worked for the upliftment of the community with a special focus on female education. She later joined as a teacher in Ravenshaw Girls High school, becoming the first muslim woman in Odisha to do so. In March 1921, when
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, Anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure ...
visited Odisha for the first time, she greeted him at Vinod Bihari, where Gandhiji addressed the women of
Cuttack
Cuttack (, or officially Kataka ) in Odia is the former capital and the second largest city in the Indian state of Odisha. It is the headquarters of the Cuttack district. The name of the city is an anglicised form of ''Kataka'' which literall ...
city.
The family however sided with
Congress
A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...
, carrying forward the legacy of their paternal primogenitors. The most prominent among whom was
Afzal ul Amin, who served as the general secretary of
Utkal Pradesh Congress Committee and was a politician and statesman of the Congress party. Since the family, over generations had put efforts to create a separate
Odisha province, they remained emotionally attached to their motherland and hence became one of the few branches of the Suhrawardy family who chose not to migrate to Pakistan, following the
partition of India
The Partition of British India in 1947 was the Partition (politics), change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: ...
in 1947.
Afzal ul Amin: was the youngest son of Badarun nissa and a renowned politician who won the municipal elections continuously from 1952 to 1980.
He later served as the Chairman of Municipal corporation. Amin carried forward his father's legacy and participated in the
Indian freedom struggle. He mobilized the Indian masses during the
Quit India movement
The Quit India Movement, also known as the August Kranti Movement, was a movement launched at the Bombay session of the All India Congress Committee by Mahatma Gandhi on 8th August 1942, during World War II, demanding an end to British rule ...
of 1942, after Bibhunenda Mishra and Surajmal Shah were arrested. Amin amplified and made significant contributions to the
Bhudan movement in Odisha. He worked as the chairman in many emergency committees formed to help the people in the flood affected areas, during the floods in Cuttack.
He contested in the
Odisha Legislative Assembly
The Odisha Legislative Assembly is the unicameral state legislature of Odisha state in India. The seat of the Legislative Assembly is at Bhubaneswar, the capital of the state. The Legislative Assembly comprises List of constituencies of Odisha ...
elections from Cuttack in 1971 and was later appointed as the general secretary of
Utkal Pradesh Congress Committee. As the chairman of Cuttack Municipal corporation's committee on education, he established more than 10 lower and upper primary Urdu schools in the city.
Afzal ul married his second cousin, Syeda Roshanara Amin (), the younger daughter of
Ibrahim Suhrawardy. He has two daughters; the eldest, Tabasum Sultana, married the notable writer and politician,
Hussain Rabi Gandhi
Hussain Rabi Gandhi (also spelled Hussain Rabigandhi or Husen Rabi Gandhi; 23 April 1948 – 28 January 2023) was an Indian Odia writer of the late-twentieth century, a politician and a cultural activist hailing from the Indian state of Odisha. ...
.
Farhat Amin: is the youngest daughter of
Afzal-ul Amin
Mohammed Afzal-ul Amin, popularly known as M.A. Amin, was an Indian statesman, politician and social worker from Cuttack, Odisha. He served as the general secretary of Utkal Pradesh Congress Committee during Biren Mitra's chief ministership. Afz ...
. She is a journalist and a social activist, who pioneered the Muslim women movement in Odisha. Farhat is the founder and chief functionary of BIRD Trust, a non-governmental organisation which works for the upliftment of marginalized women in Odisha and the also the state convenor of
Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan. She was enlisted in the directory of development journalists published by the
Press Institute of India. As a social activist, she undertook active steps to eradicate the menace of Hepatitis B among children in Odisha, for which she was felicitated by the
Governor of Odisha in 2008. Farhat married the tribal rights activist,
Saleem Farook
Saleem Farook was an Indian tribal rights activist and social worker from Karnataka. In 1989 he started the Thuamul Rampur tribal movement in Kalahandi which fought against the issue of land alienation of the tribals in that region. On 9 June ...
.
Family of Mobarak Ali Suhrawardy
Mobarak Ali Suhrawardy : was a brother of
Ubaidullah Al Ubaidi Suhrawardy
Ubaidullah Al Ubaidi Suhrawardy ( ar, عبيد الله العبيدي السهروردي, bn, ওবায়দুল্লাহ আল ওবায়দী সোহরাওয়ার্দী; 1832 – 9 February 1885) was a Bengali ...
. He was a reputed lawyer and an aristocrat.
Zahid Suhrawardy (1870 - 1949): was the son of Mobarak Ali Suhrawardy, he was born in
Midnapore
Medinipur or Midnapore (Pron: med̪iːniːpur) is a city known for its history in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarters of the West Medinipur district. It is situated on the banks of the Kangsabati River (variously known as '' ...
and educated at
Dacca. He began his legal career after obtaining a degree in law from
Calcutta University
The University of Calcutta (informally known as Calcutta University; CU) is a public collegiate state university in India, located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Considered one of best state research university all over India every year, C ...
. He later qualified for the bar from the Lincoln's Inn as a barrister-at-law, before returning to India. Zahid practiced at the Calcutta High Court and was soon promoted as a judge at the same court. He resigned from service ten years later, in November 1931 and was knighted in 1928. In 1888, Zahid married
Khujista Akhtar Banu
Khujista Akhtar Banu Suhrawardiyya (also spelled as Khujastha Akhtar Banu) popularly known as Suhrawardy Begum was a late 19th century writer, Bengali socialite, educationist and a social reformer. Khujista was the first Indian woman to pass ...
(c.1874–1919), the daughter of educationist
Ubaidullah Al Ubaidi Suhrawardy
Ubaidullah Al Ubaidi Suhrawardy ( ar, عبيد الله العبيدي السهروردي, bn, ওবায়দুল্লাহ আল ওবায়দী সোহরাওয়ার্দী; 1832 – 9 February 1885) was a Bengali ...
, Zahid's uncle. Their children included linguist
Hasan Shaheed Suhrawardy (1890–1965) and Prime Minister of Pakistan,
Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy (1892–1963).
Hasan Shaheed Suhrawardy (1890 - 1965): Hassan was the eldest son of
Zahid Suhrawardy and a famous writer, poet, translator and a diplomat. Hasan graduated in English from
Calcutta University
The University of Calcutta (informally known as Calcutta University; CU) is a public collegiate state university in India, located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Considered one of best state research university all over India every year, C ...
in 1909 following which he went to
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
where he graduated from
Oxford University
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
in law. In Oxford, he became close friends with
Robert Bridges and
D. H. Lawrence
David Herbert Lawrence (11 September 1885 – 2 March 1930) was an English writer, novelist, poet and essayist. His works reflect on modernity, industrialization, sexuality, emotional health, vitality, spontaneity and instinct. His best-k ...
. He later served as a professor of English at
Moscow University
M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU; russian: Московский государственный университет имени М. В. Ломоносова) is a public research university in Moscow, Russia and the most prestigious ...
and was caught in the
Russian revolution (1917)
The Russian Revolution was a period of political and social revolution that took place in the former Russian Empire which began during the First World War. This period saw Russia abolish its monarchy and adopt a socialist form of government ...
. He later came to
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. ...
on a tour and stayed there. In Paris, he served as the editor of the Fine Art Section of the League of Nations. Hassan finally returned to
India
India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...
in 1932 after which he worked as a researcher and writer for many works commissioned by
Osmania University
Osmania University is a collegiate public state university located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Mir Osman Ali Khan, the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad in 1918 , He released a farman to establish OSMANIA UNIVERSITY on the day of 28 August 1918. ...
,
Visva-Bharati University
Visva-Bharati () is a public central university and an Institution of National Importance located in Shantiniketan, West Bengal, India. It was founded by Rabindranath Tagore who called it ''Visva-Bharati'', which means the communion of the ...
. Suhrawardy was also member of the Bengal Public Service Commission during 1943–46. After the
Partition of India
The Partition of British India in 1947 was the Partition (politics), change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: ...
, Suhrawardy like the rest of his family, migrated to
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
, he served as a diplomat.
He was an ambassador of Pakistan to
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' ( Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, ...
,
Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria ...
,
Tunisia
)
, image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa
, image_map2 =
, capital = Tunis
, largest_city = capital
, ...
and the
Vatican from 1954 onwards. He became very close to
Jawaharlal Nehru
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (; ; ; 14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was an Indian anti-colonial nationalist, secular humanist, social democrat—
*
*
*
* and author who was a central figure in India during the middle of the 20t ...
and
Sudhindranath Dutta
Sudhindranath Dutta (30 October 1901 – 25 June 1960) was an Indian poet, essayist, journalist and critic. Sudhindranath is one of the most notable poets after the Tagore-era in Bengali literature.
Education
Sudhindranath Dutt went to the Th ...
. He was proficient in many languages including
Russian,
Cantonese
Cantonese ( zh, t=廣東話, s=广东话, first=t, cy=Gwóngdūng wá) is a language within the Chinese (Sinitic) branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages originating from the city of Guangzhou (historically known as Canton) and its surrounding ar ...
,
Aramaic
The Aramaic languages, short Aramaic ( syc, ܐܪܡܝܐ, Arāmāyā; oar, 𐤀𐤓𐤌𐤉𐤀; arc, 𐡀𐡓𐡌𐡉𐡀; tmr, אֲרָמִית), are a language family containing many varieties (languages and dialects) that originated i ...
,
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
,
Italian,
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
** Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Ca ...
and
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
languages.
Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy: was the youngest son of
Zahid Suhrawardy. Huseyn was a lawyer and an excellent politician. He is regarded as one of the most intellectual and powerful statesman of the Indian subcontinent and also the mentor of
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million pe ...
's founding father
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman ( bn, শেখ মুজিবুর রহমান; 17 March 1920 – 15 August 1975), often shortened as Sheikh Mujib or Mujib and widely known as Bangabandhu (meaning ''Friend of Bengal''), was a Bengali politi ...
. He was the
Prime Minister of Bengal from 1946 to 1947 and the
Prime Minister of Pakistan
The prime minister of Pakistan ( ur, , romanized: Wazīr ē Aʿẓam , ) is the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and his chosen cabinet, despite the president of Pak ...
from 1956 to 1957. His political career started as early as in his youth days, when he returned to India after studying law at
Oxford University
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
and joined the
Indian Independence movement
The Indian independence movement was a series of historic events with the ultimate aim of ending British Raj, British rule in India. It lasted from 1857 to 1947.
The first nationalistic revolutionary movement for Indian independence emerged ...
as a trade union leader in
Calcutta
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comm ...
. He was elected to
Bengal Legislative Assembly in 1937. In 1946, Suhrawardy led the
Bengal Provincial Muslim League
The Bengal Provincial Muslim League (BPML) was the branch of the All India Muslim League in the British Indian province of Bengal. It was established in Dacca on 2 March 1912. Its official language was Bengali. The party played an important role i ...
to win the general elections and thus became the third and last
Prime Minister of Bengal. He proposed a
United Bengal, also known as the Free State of Bengal.
Huseyn is however criticized and held responsible for the
Great Calcutta Killings. He migrated to
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
with the rest of his family, where he emerged as supreme leader of the
Awami league In Urdu language, Awami is the adjectival form for ''Awam
Awam ( ur, ) is the Urdu language word for common people or general public. In the early 20th century, the word was extensively used in the Indian subcontinent to refer to the general po ...
. In 1956, he was elected the
Prime Minister of Pakistan
The prime minister of Pakistan ( ur, , romanized: Wazīr ē Aʿẓam , ) is the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and his chosen cabinet, despite the president of Pak ...
. He led Pakistan's diplomacy in
SEATO
The Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) was an international organization for collective defense in Southeast Asia created by the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty, or Manila Pact, signed in September 1954 in Manila, the Philipp ...
and
CENTO
The Middle East Treaty Organization (METO), also known as the Baghdad Pact and subsequently known as the Central Treaty Organization (CENTO), was a military alliance of the Cold War. It was formed in 24 February 1955 by Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Tur ...
, thus strengthening
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
's ties with the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...
. He was also the leader of Pakistan's Republican constituent Assembly, which ended
dominion status
The term ''Dominion'' is used to refer to one of several self-governing nations of the British Empire.
"Dominion status" was first accorded to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland, South Africa, and the Irish Free State at the 19 ...
and the monarchy of
Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
in
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
.
He is the father of
Rashid Suhrawardy and
Begum Akhtar Sulaiman
Begum Akhtar Sulaiman (née Akhtar Jahan Suhrawardy) (1922–1982) was a Pakistani-Bengali social worker, political activist and the daughter of Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, the fifth Prime Minister of Pakistan. Begum Akhtar Suleiman, went out on ...
Family legacy
The remarkable legacy of the Suhrawardy family can be found across the entire
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a physiographical region in Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian Ocean from the Himalayas. Geopolitically, it includes the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India ...
and the world.
Every year, on 31 July,
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkm ...
observes National Suhrawardi Day to commemorate the life of
Shahab al-Din Yahya ibn Habash Suhrawardi
"Shihāb ad-Dīn" Yahya ibn Habash Suhrawardī ( fa, شهابالدین سهروردی, also known as Sohrevardi) (1154–1191) was a PersianEdward Craig, Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, "al-Suhrawardi, Shihab al-Din Yahya (1154-91)" Ro ...
.
Bahauddin Zakaria Express train is named after
Bahauddin Zakaria Suhrawardi which runs between
Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former ...
and
Multan
Multan (; ) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan, on the bank of the Chenab River. Multan is Pakistan's seventh largest city as per the 2017 census, and the major cultural, religious and economic centre of southern Punjab.
Multan is one of the olde ...
.
Bahauddin Zakariya University located in
Multan
Multan (; ) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan, on the bank of the Chenab River. Multan is Pakistan's seventh largest city as per the 2017 census, and the major cultural, religious and economic centre of southern Punjab.
Multan is one of the olde ...
too is named after him, it is the largest institution in Southern Punjab.
Shah Rukan e Alam
Shah Rukn-e-Alam Colony is one of the autonomous towns of the city of Multan in the Punjab province of Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the worl ...
, named after the saint, is one of the autonomous towns of the city of Multan. A daily train service,
Shah Rukn-e-Alam Express, between Multan and Karachi was named after him.
The
Tomb of Umar Al Suhrawardi in
Baghdad
Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesipho ...
, Turkman gate in
Delhi
Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders wi ...
,
Maner Sharif in
Bihar
Bihar (; ) is a state in eastern India. It is the 2nd largest state by population in 2019, 12th largest by area of , and 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West ...
,
Tomb of Rukn e Alam Suhrawardi and
Shrine of Bahauddin Zakariya
The Shrine of Bahauddin Zakariya ( ur, ) is a 13th-century shrine located in the city of Multan, in Pakistan's Punjab province. The tomb is dedicated to the Muslim mystic Bahauddin Zakariya, founder of the Suhrawardiyya order of Sufism. I ...
are important tourist attractions.
The
University of Dhaka
The University of Dhaka (also known as Dhaka University, or DU) is a public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is the oldest university in Bangladesh. The university opened its doors to students on July 1st 1921. Currently i ...
awards the Bahrul Ulm Ubaidi Suhrawardy medal, which was named after
Ubaidullah Al Ubaidi Suhrawardy
Ubaidullah Al Ubaidi Suhrawardy ( ar, عبيد الله العبيدي السهروردي, bn, ওবায়দুল্লাহ আল ওবায়দী সোহরাওয়ার্দী; 1832 – 9 February 1885) was a Bengali ...
.
Acharya Harinath De created an oil painting to honour Ubaidullah. While, the Suhrawardy Avenue in
Kolkata
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...
is named after
Hassan Suhrawardy
Lieutenant-Colonel Hassan Suhrawardy CStJ, FRCS (17 November 1884 – 18 September 1946) was a Bengali surgeon, military officer in the British Indian Army, politician, and a public official. He was the former chairman of the executive commi ...
.
Suhrawardy Udyan
Suhrawardy Udyan ( bn, সোহরাওয়ার্দী উদ্যান) formerly known as Ramna Race Course ground is a national memorial located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is named after Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy. Originally it serve ...
in
Dhaka
Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), formerly known as Dacca, is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest Bengali-speaking city. It is the eighth largest and sixth most densely populated city ...
,
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million pe ...
is named after
Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy. The
Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College and
Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and hospital
Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College (ShSMC) is a public medical college and hospital located in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh.
This medical college is the third public medical college in the government medical college rank after DMC & SSM ...
too are named after him.
Family tree

* Shah Sirajuddin Suhrawardy
** Shah Ruknuddin Suhrawardy
*** Shah Najibudin Suhrawardy
*** Shah Aminuddin Suhrawardy
**** Ruhul Amin Suhrawardy
****
Ubaidullah Al Ubaidi Suhrawardy
Ubaidullah Al Ubaidi Suhrawardy ( ar, عبيد الله العبيدي السهروردي, bn, ওবায়দুল্লাহ আল ওবায়দী সোহরাওয়ার্দী; 1832 – 9 February 1885) was a Bengali ...
*****
Khujista Akhtar Banu
Khujista Akhtar Banu Suhrawardiyya (also spelled as Khujastha Akhtar Banu) popularly known as Suhrawardy Begum was a late 19th century writer, Bengali socialite, educationist and a social reformer. Khujista was the first Indian woman to pass ...
, m.
Zahid Suhrawardy
******
Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, firstly married Begum Niaz Fatima, daughter of
Chief Justice Abdur Rahim
*******
Begum Akhtar Sulaiman
Begum Akhtar Sulaiman (née Akhtar Jahan Suhrawardy) (1922–1982) was a Pakistani-Bengali social worker, political activist and the daughter of Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, the fifth Prime Minister of Pakistan. Begum Akhtar Suleiman, went out on ...
********
Shahida Jamil
Shahida Nighat Jamil (born 30 January 1944 as Shahida Nighat Sulaiman) is a Pakistani lawyer and politician who served as the Law Minister of Pakistan.
Early education and family
Jamil is the only daughter of the late Shah Ahmed Sulaiman (a bu ...
********* Shahid Jamil
*******
Robert Ashby
Robert Ashby (born Rashid Suhrawardy; 1940 – 7 February 2019) was a British actor. He worked on stage, television and film.
Early life and career
Ashby was born in London 1940 as Rashid Suhrawardy to East Pakistani Bengali politician Huseyn ...
******
Hasan Shaheed Suhrawardy
*****
Hassan Suhrawardy
Lieutenant-Colonel Hassan Suhrawardy CStJ, FRCS (17 November 1884 – 18 September 1946) was a Bengali surgeon, military officer in the British Indian Army, politician, and a public official. He was the former chairman of the executive commi ...
******
Shaista Suhrawardy Ikramullah, m.
Mohammed Ikramullah
Mohammad Ikramullah KCMG (hon), CIE (15 January 1903 – 12 September 1963) was a figure in the administration of Pakistan at the time of independence of Pakistan on 14 August 1947. As a member of the provisional government of Pakistan, be ...
*******
Princess Sarvath al-Hassan, m.
Prince Hassan bin Talal
********
Princess Rahma bint Hassan
Princess Rahma bint Hassan (born 13 August 1969) is a Jordanian princess. Her father is Prince Hassan bin Talal. Her mother, Princess Sarvath El Hassan.
She is the cousin of King Abdullah II.
Education
* Primary school in Amman, Jordan.
...
, m.
Alaa Batayneh
********* Arif Al Batayneh
********
Princess Badiya bint Hassan
********
Prince Rashid bin Hassan, m.
Zeina Shaban
********* Hassan bin Rashid
********* Talal bin Rashid
********
Princess Sumaya bint Hassan
Princess Sumaya bint Hassan (born 14 May 1971) is a princess of Jordan.
Early life
Sumaya was born in Amman on 14 May 1971, to Prince Hassan bin Talal and Princess Sarvath al-Hassan. Her mother was of Pakistani-Bengali descent. She received h ...
*******
Salma Sobhan, m.
Rehman Sobhan
********
Zafar Sobhan
*******
Naz Ikramullah
Naz Ikramullah Ashraf (née Naz Ikramullah) is a British- Canadian artist and film producer of Pakistani-Bengali origin.
Background
Ikramullah was born in London, England to a Muslim family. Her father, Mohammed Ikramullah, later became the ...
******* Imam Ikramullah
****** Hasan Masud Suhrawardy
*****
Amin Suhrawardy
Amin Suhrawardy was a Bengalis, Bengali judge, academic and a prominent Sorcerer (supernatural), sorcerer of his time. He served as the subordinate judge of Calcutta High court from 1887 to 1891. He was a professor of law at Calcutta University ...
******
Begum Badar un nissa Akhtar
Begum Badar un Nissa Akhtar (1894 -1956; Midnapore) was an Indian social reformer and educator from Cuttack, Odisha. She is known for challenging the stringent and orthodox societal norms and for encouraging and enabling muslim girls to receiv ...
, m.
Sayeed Mohammed
*******
Afzal-ul Amin
Mohammed Afzal-ul Amin, popularly known as M.A. Amin, was an Indian statesman, politician and social worker from Cuttack, Odisha. He served as the general secretary of Utkal Pradesh Congress Committee during Biren Mitra's chief ministership. Afz ...
, m. daughter of
Ibrahim Suhrawardy
********
Farhat Amin Sultana, m.
Saleem Farook
Saleem Farook was an Indian tribal rights activist and social worker from Karnataka. In 1989 he started the Thuamul Rampur tribal movement in Kalahandi which fought against the issue of land alienation of the tribals in that region. On 9 June ...
********* Rayan Farook
******** Tabasum Amin Sultana, m.
Hussain Rabi Gandhi
Hussain Rabi Gandhi (also spelled Hussain Rabigandhi or Husen Rabi Gandhi; 23 April 1948 – 28 January 2023) was an Indian Odia writer of the late-twentieth century, a politician and a cultural activist hailing from the Indian state of Odisha. ...
******* Fazal ul Amin
******** Siddiq Al Amin
******** Sayeeda Sultana
******* Ather ul Amin
******** Daud ur Rahman
******** Razia Sultana
******** Niloufar Sultana
******** Yasmeen Sultana
******* Shamsunahar Akhtar
******** Shahbuddin Mohammed Gani
******** Badruddin Mohammed Faruque
******* Begum Husnara Akhtar
*****
Abdullah Al-Mamun Suhrawardy
Sir Abdullah al-Mamun Suhrawardy (31 May 1877 – 13 January 1935) was a Bengali Islamic scholar, barrister, and academic. He was the Tagore Law Lecturer in 1911 and involved in notable educational work. Abdullah was the first Indian to attai ...
***** Habib ur Rahman Suhrawardy
***** Aziza Akhtar Banu
***** Humayun Akhtar Banu
**** Mubarak Ali Suhrawardy
*****
Zahid Suhrawardy, m.
Khujista Akhtar Banu
Khujista Akhtar Banu Suhrawardiyya (also spelled as Khujastha Akhtar Banu) popularly known as Suhrawardy Begum was a late 19th century writer, Bengali socialite, educationist and a social reformer. Khujista was the first Indian woman to pass ...
******
Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, m.
Vera Alexandrovna Tiscenko Calder
Vera Alexandrovna Tiscenko (28 August 1902 – 13 October 1983) was a Russian actress of Polish descent and member of the Moscow Art Theatre who lived through four revolutions: the 1905 Russian Revolution, the Russian Revolution (1917), the ...
*******
Rashid Suhrawardy
******
Hasan Shaheed Suhrawardy
***** Mahdi Hasan Suhrawardy
**** Abdul Ali Suhrawardy
**** Umme Kulsum
***** Dastur Ali
** Aleemuddin Suhrawardy
*** Atiqur Suhrawardy
*** Qutubuddin Suhrawardy
References
{{reflist
Suhrawardy family
Indian families
Noble families
Bengali families