Prof. A. Nabeesa Ummal was a trailblazing Indian academic, orator, and politician from Kerala who shattered multiple social barriers as a Muslim woman in the mid-20th century. Born on 30 June 1931 in Kallanvila, Attingal, in present-day Thiruvananthapuram district, she achieved the historic distinction of becoming the first Muslim woman in Kerala to earn a postgraduate degree in Malayalam, marking a watershed moment in the state’s educational landscape.
Early Life and Education:
Nabeesa was the youngest of five daughters born to Asanummal, a native of Bhoothapandi, Tamil Nadu, and Khader Moideen, a police constable. Among her siblings, only Nabeesa pursued higher education, demonstrating remarkable determination in an era when Muslim girls rarely continued their studies beyond school. She adopted her mother’s surname, Asanummal, during her school years, a practice that reflected her progressive outlook.
After completing her schooling at Attingal Government Girls High School, Nabeesa enrolled in Thiruvananthapuram Women’s College for her pre-university studies. During this period, she married Hussain Kunju, a soldier from Nedumangad. This decision to marry while pursuing her education was itself a bold step, as Muslim girls continuing their education after marriage was extremely rare during that era. With her husband’s unwavering support, she not only continued her studies but excelled academically. She completed her BA and MA degrees from Thiruvananthapuram Women’s College, studying Economics, Politics, and History in Malayalam. Her achievement as the first Muslim woman to complete a postgraduate degree in Malayalam broke significant barriers for women from her community and inspired countless others.
Distinguished Academic Career:
In 1955, immediately after completing her studies, Nabeesa joined her alma mater as a third-grade junior lecturer, beginning a distinguished teaching career spanning 33 years. During this period, she served as a lecturer at seven colleges across five districts in Kerala, reaching thousands of students. Her academic excellence and administrative abilities led to her promotion to the position of principal at Government College Malappuram.
The pinnacle of her academic career came when she returned to Women’s College and University College, Thiruvananthapuram, where she rose through the ranks to become a professor, head of the Malayalam department, and, finally, principal. She achieved the extraordinary distinction of being the first Malayalam scholar after the legendary poet-scholar A.R. Raja Raja Varma to become both the head of the Malayalam department and principal of University College, Thiruvananthapuram. She was also the first woman principal from the Malayalam section at this prestigious institution. She retired as principal of University College in 1986, leaving a legacy of academic excellence and the inspiration of generations of students, particularly young women from marginalised communities.
Political Career and Public Service:
Nabeesa Ummal was an accomplished orator from her school days, a talent that would later propel her into public life. Her political career began during the Sharia controversy in the mid-1980s, following the Shah Bano case. When the Congress-led central government passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act in 1986, the CPI(M) in Kerala launched a massive campaign for women’s rights. Nabeesa emerged as a powerful voice for Muslim women during this period, and her eloquent speeches caught the attention of legendary Communist leader E.M.S. Namboodiripad, who invited her to contest the Kerala Legislative Assembly elections.
In 1987, shortly after her retirement from academics, Nabeesa contested and won an election from the Kazhakoottam constituency as an independent candidate with the support of the Left Democratic Front, becoming a member of the Eighth Kerala Legislative Assembly. Although she lost the 1991 elections by a narrow margin of 689 votes, she continued her public service by successfully contesting local body elections in 1995 and serving as chairperson of the Nedumangad Municipal Corporation.
Throughout her political career, she served on numerous important bodies, including the State Planning Advisory Committee, examination boards of Kerala and Mahatma Gandhi universities, and the Kerala PSC Question Making Committee, contributing her expertise to public policy and administration.
In 2000, Prof. Nabeesa Ummal was awarded the Central Government Award for Women’s Empowerment, recognising her lifelong contribution to advancing women’s rights and education. She was a regular speaker at cultural and academic events alongside prominent leaders like E.M.S. Namboodiripad and E.K. Nayanar.
Prof. Nabeesa Ummal passed away on 6 May 2023 at her residence in Pathamkallu, Nedumangad, at the age of 92. She is survived by five children and has left an enduring legacy as a pioneer who opened doors for Muslim women in Kerala’s educational and political spheres, demonstrating that determination and family support can overcome even the most entrenched social barriers.