Begum who ruled Bhopal and defied patriarchy 100 years ago
Sultan took over reign of Bhopal to become fourth woman ruler
More than 200 years ago, long before feminism and International Women’s Day became a part of public imagination and discourse, women rulers in India took over the reins of the princely estate of Bhopal for more than a century — initiating an unprecedented matrilineal reign from 1819 until 1926, the impact of which can be felt to this day.
Thus, when Begum Sultan Jahan took over the reign of Bhopal in 1901, she became the fourth woman ruler of the princely state — a situation perpetuated for generations due to a lack of male successors.
But it was Begum Sultan’s rule more than a century ago that came to be the defining point of the break from patriarchy in the region and beyond — capping a path-breaking era, which saw women rulers write more than 40 books, design syllabi for education boards, establish women’s clubs, parlay with European and British officials in their countries, fund almost all major institutions in India and a major one in Saudi Arabia, and head a university as the first female Chancellor of one of India’s oldest universities.
Pioneer of education
The pioneering period of the rule of Begum Jahan not only became a symbol of feminism,
but also a potent tool for women’s empowerment in India under the British rule. For Jahan was an educationist who took up the cause of female education, a prolific writer, philanthropist and above all an astute ruler who restored the glory
of her estate. Born in 1858, Begum Sultan was the first female Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), which she had nurtured during its nascent stage of Mohammadan Anglo Oriental College.
“Begum Sultan Jahan considered education as much important for human survival as food and water. While explaining the importance of education, she compared it with nectar which could immortalise one’s name,” said Dr Sadaf Fareed, Assistant Professor, Women’s College, at AMU.
Generations down
That focus on education and knowledge has permeated down the generations — with Indian film actress Sharmila Tagore being the granddaughter-in-law of Nawab Hamid Ullah Khan, the youngest son of Begum Sultan Jahan. There are many firsts to her credit.
She is credited for astutely managing the financial affairs of her princely estate and rescuing it from its precarious condition to an era of relative prosperity. When Begum Sultan took over the reign, there was only Rs40,000 in the state treasury — not even enough to pay the salaries of all employees. She also constructed a walled city and eventually a palace for herself. But her biggest legacy and body of work lies in women’s empowerment and education.