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- Mar 21, 2007
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Death anniversary of Begum Shaista Ikramullah
Beauty and Brains Combined ;
Begum Shaista Ikramullah, Representative of Pakistan to the 11th session of the General Assembly, photographed at her country’s desk at the General Assembly Hall USA.
Begum Shaista Ikramullah, the first female representative of the first Constituent Assembly of Pakistan (1947), Pakistan’s former Ambassador to Morocco, mother-in-law of Jordan’s Crown Prince, and niece of the Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, was born on July 22, 1915, at Calcutta in the prominent Suhrawardy family of West Bengal. She was educated at Calcutta and London. During that period, strict purdah environment was prevalent in the Muslim society of India. Her mother was a traditionalist while her father, an eminent surgeon and politician, was a dynamic liberal who encouraged his daughter to study.
She got married at quite a young age. Her husband was a diplomat and served as Pakistan’s first Foreign Secretary. He encouraged her pursuit of modern education. She was the first Muslim woman to obtain a doctorate from the University of London in 1940. Her doctorate thesis “Development of the Urdu Novel and Short Story” was a critical survey of Urdu novel and short stories.
In 1945, Begum Ikramullah was asked by the Government of India to attend the Pacific Relations Conference. Quaid-i-Azam convinced Begum Ikramullah not to accept the offer, as he wanted her to go as the representative of the Muslim League and to speak on its behalf. Six weeks after the establishment of Pakistan, the Quaid asked Begum Ikramullah to go as a delegate to the United Nations. She was totally committed to the creation, and the building of Pakistan. The first legislature of Pakistan in 1947 had two women representatives, Begum Jahan Ara Shahnawaz and Begum Shaista Ikramullah.
Begum Ikramullah served Pakistan as a delegate to various international conferences and United Nations Conferences. She also served as Ambassador to Morocco from 1964 to 1967.
In the late 80′s, Begum Ikramullah started work on a book about the life and times of her late uncle, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy. The book, “Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy: A Biography” was completed and published in 1991. Her works in the English language include “Letters to Neena”, the much acclaimed “Behind the Veil” first published in 1953, and “From Purdah to Parliament” published in 1963. “Common Heritage” was her idea to improve ties between Pakistan and India by providing a platform to both Pakistanis and Indians who had lived in the Sub-continent before Partition.
She also completed her English translation of “Mirat-ul-Uroos”, an Urdu classic by Deputy Nazir Ahmad, and an Urdu volume on “Kahawat aur Muhavare” but unfortunately, could not see them in print.
Begum Ikramullah often regretted that a golden era of women’s struggle and achievements seemed no longer accessible to the common person and may be lost. To revive these memories, she translated her book “From Purdah to Parliament” in Urdu.
She used to contribute regularly for the magazines “Tehzeeb-i-Niswan” and “Ismat”. “Koshish-i-Natamam”, a volume comprised of short stories, “Safarnama” and “Dilli ki Begamat key Muhawarey” are her other works in Urdu.
She passed away on December 11, 2000 in Karachi at the age of 85. R.I.P.
Beauty and Brains Combined ;
Begum Shaista Ikramullah, Representative of Pakistan to the 11th session of the General Assembly, photographed at her country’s desk at the General Assembly Hall USA.
Begum Shaista Ikramullah, the first female representative of the first Constituent Assembly of Pakistan (1947), Pakistan’s former Ambassador to Morocco, mother-in-law of Jordan’s Crown Prince, and niece of the Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, was born on July 22, 1915, at Calcutta in the prominent Suhrawardy family of West Bengal. She was educated at Calcutta and London. During that period, strict purdah environment was prevalent in the Muslim society of India. Her mother was a traditionalist while her father, an eminent surgeon and politician, was a dynamic liberal who encouraged his daughter to study.
She got married at quite a young age. Her husband was a diplomat and served as Pakistan’s first Foreign Secretary. He encouraged her pursuit of modern education. She was the first Muslim woman to obtain a doctorate from the University of London in 1940. Her doctorate thesis “Development of the Urdu Novel and Short Story” was a critical survey of Urdu novel and short stories.
In 1945, Begum Ikramullah was asked by the Government of India to attend the Pacific Relations Conference. Quaid-i-Azam convinced Begum Ikramullah not to accept the offer, as he wanted her to go as the representative of the Muslim League and to speak on its behalf. Six weeks after the establishment of Pakistan, the Quaid asked Begum Ikramullah to go as a delegate to the United Nations. She was totally committed to the creation, and the building of Pakistan. The first legislature of Pakistan in 1947 had two women representatives, Begum Jahan Ara Shahnawaz and Begum Shaista Ikramullah.
Begum Ikramullah served Pakistan as a delegate to various international conferences and United Nations Conferences. She also served as Ambassador to Morocco from 1964 to 1967.
In the late 80′s, Begum Ikramullah started work on a book about the life and times of her late uncle, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy. The book, “Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy: A Biography” was completed and published in 1991. Her works in the English language include “Letters to Neena”, the much acclaimed “Behind the Veil” first published in 1953, and “From Purdah to Parliament” published in 1963. “Common Heritage” was her idea to improve ties between Pakistan and India by providing a platform to both Pakistanis and Indians who had lived in the Sub-continent before Partition.
She also completed her English translation of “Mirat-ul-Uroos”, an Urdu classic by Deputy Nazir Ahmad, and an Urdu volume on “Kahawat aur Muhavare” but unfortunately, could not see them in print.
Begum Ikramullah often regretted that a golden era of women’s struggle and achievements seemed no longer accessible to the common person and may be lost. To revive these memories, she translated her book “From Purdah to Parliament” in Urdu.
She used to contribute regularly for the magazines “Tehzeeb-i-Niswan” and “Ismat”. “Koshish-i-Natamam”, a volume comprised of short stories, “Safarnama” and “Dilli ki Begamat key Muhawarey” are her other works in Urdu.
She passed away on December 11, 2000 in Karachi at the age of 85. R.I.P.
