Begum Khursheed Khwaja (1894–1981), known after her marriage as Begum Abdul Majeed Khwaja, was a pioneering educator, nationalist, and women’s rights advocate who played a transformative role in expanding educational opportunities for Muslim women in India. Born into the aristocratic family of Justice Hameedullah Khan, Chief Justice of Hyderabad High Court, she was the granddaughter of Maulvi Samiullah Khan, who held the prestigious British honour of Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (CMG).
Her marriage to Abdul Majeed Khwaja—a Cambridge-educated barrister, co-founder of Jamia Millia Islamia, and close associate of Mahatma Gandhi—placed her at the heart of India’s educational reform and freedom movements. Their union created a powerful partnership dedicated to national progress, with Begum Khwaja focusing specifically on women’s empowerment. She was among the first Muslim women in the Aligarh region to emerge from traditional purdah, a bold step she balanced with a deep sensitivity to cultural values.
Begum Khwaja’s most enduring contribution was the establishment of Hamidia Primary School in 1932 in Allahabad, named in honour of her father. Starting with just a handful of students in a modest house donated by Dr Syed Ali Zaidi, she personally taught classes and conducted door-to-door campaigns to persuade conservative families to educate their daughters. Her approach was both culturally sensitive and progressive; she assured families that Islamic values and ‘purdah’ would be respected, even arranging fully curtained vehicles for student transport.
Her educational philosophy was holistic, blending modern subjects with Islamic values and practical skills like sewing and home nursing to foster self-reliance in women. Through her persistence and the trust she built within the community, the small school evolved into an intermediate college by 1951 and became Hamidia Girls’ Degree College in 1975, now affiliated with the University of Allahabad and serving thousands of students.
During the Khilafat and Non-Cooperation movements, Begum Khwaja actively promoted Gandhi’s ‘Swadeshi’ campaign by establishing and operating a women’s ‘khadi‘ store in Aligarh. Her commitment to independence involved significant personal sacrifice—in a powerful symbolic act, she burned her collection of fine foreign garments and donated her jewellery to the freedom movement. Despite facing divided loyalties between her pro-British father and her nationalist husband, she remained steadfast in her support for a free India. When Abdul Majeed Khwaja was arrested for his activism, she courageously managed the household and continued supporting the work of Jamia Millia Islamia.
Beyond her educational and political work, Begum Khwaja contributed to Urdu journalism by editing the magazine “Hind,” which she used as a platform to advance social awareness among women. Her progressive social vision was also reflected in her personal life; she was the first among Allahabad’s Muslims to enrol her daughters as boarders at the prestigious St. Mary’s Convent, where Indira Gandhi was also a student. She maintained close friendships with prominent nationalist families, including the Nehrus and Padmaja Naidu, the daughter of Sarojini Naidu.
Begum Khursheed Khwaja passed away on July 7, 1981, at the age of 87 and was buried in the family graveyard near Aligarh. Her life successfully bridged traditional values with progressive reform. Today, Hamidia Girls’ Degree College stands as her lasting monument, continuing her mission to educate women from underprivileged communities. Her story exemplifies how individual vision and cultural sensitivity can create lasting institutional change, highlighting the vital but often underrecognized role of women in shaping modern India.