Born: 1834 (Comilla, Bangladesh)
Died: 1903
Biography:
Nawab Begum Faizunnesa Choudhurani (Bengali: ; 18341903) was Zamindar of Homnabad-Pashchimgaon Estate in present-day Comilla District, Bangladesh. She is most famous for her campaign for female education and other social issues. In appreciation of her social work, in 1889 Queen Victoria awarded Faizunnesa the title of Nawab, making her the first female Nawab in South Asia.
Faizunnesa’s educational and literary work belonged to the post-1857 era when Muslims in India started having the full thrust of colonial acrimony and were at the nadir of deprivation and discrimination. Faizunnesa embarked on establishing schools for women in that cultural context. Metaphorically, she sought to rescue the community from the menace of despair and pessimism by portraying a Muslim hero in Rupjalal and thus gave them hope and confidence. An advocate of female education, a philanthropist and social worker, Faizunnesa was born in Comilla in what is now Bangladesh. She was married to a distant cousin and neighboring zamindar, Muhammad Gazi, in 1860 as his second wife only to be separated after mothering two daughters, Arshadunnesa and Badrunnesa.
She became a zamindar after her mother’s death in 1883 and became increasingly involved in social and charitable work. In 1889, she earned the honor of being the first woman Nawab of British India. She penned few other literary pieces such as Sangeet Saar, Sangeet Lahari, and Tattwa O Jatiya Sangeet and is renowned for her pioneering educational and charitable work, as well as the establishment of schools, madrasas, and hospitals. However, Rupjalal, her most important work, has attracted more research and critical attention.
Born in 1834, Nawab Begum Faizunnesa Choudhurani was the eldest daughter of Khan Bahadur Ahmed Ali Chowdhury (Shahzada Mirza Aurangzeb), the Nawab of Homnabad-Pashchimgaon, and Arfannessa Chowdhurani Saheba. Her mother was notable for constructing the Pashchimgaon Nawab Bari Mosque in 1864. Her paternal family is descended from a paternal niece of Bahadur Shah I who was married to Amir Mirza Abdul Aziz of Banu Abbas.
Under the emperor’s instructions, Abdul Aziz sent his son, Amir Mirza Jahandar Khan (Agowan Khan), with thousands of soldiers to quell a rebellion in Tipperah. After stopping the rebellion, Jahandar Khan returned to Delhi but left his son, Amir Mirza Humayun Khan, in Bengal. Mirza Humayun Khan (Bahroz Khan, Bhuru Khan) was made the Jagirdar of a territory named after him as Humayunabad, which later got corrupted to Homnabad, and was succeeded by his son, Amir Mirza Masum Khan. The Homnabad Nawab dynasty was thus established, with the family of Faizunnesa being prominent members.
Nawab Begum Faizunnesa Choudhurani dedicated her life to advocating for female education and social issues in colonial India. Her commitment to empowerment and social change earned her recognition and respect, including the prestigious title of Nawab from Queen Victoria. Nawab Faizunnesa’s efforts in establishing schools and promoting female education left a lasting impact on society and paved the way for future generations of women to strive for equality and education.
Awards:
– Nawab title from Queen Victoria in 1889