Hakim Ajmal Khan

HAKIM AJMAL KHAN

Date of Birth: 12^th February, 1868 and Date of Death: 29^th December, 1927

            Hakim Ajmal Khan, who was ever ready to make any number of sacrifices for achieving common goal of India’s – self rule, was born in Delhi on 12^th February, 1868.  His father was Hakim Abdul Ghulam Mohammad Khan was a famous indigenous medical practitioner.  Ajmal Khan learnt several subjects and like his father became famous as a doctor.  He was confined himself to medical practice and public service till 1906.  He was one of the Muslim representatives, who met the Viceroy in Shimla on 1^st October, 1906.  Later, he became the Vice-President of the All India Muslim League.  When the differences erupted between the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League, he played a vital role in getting the Lucknow Pact signed to make truce between these two organisations in 1916.  He had close relations with Mahatma Gandhi which lead him joining the Indian National Congress in 1917, after quitting the Muslim League.  He worked as the Chair person of the reception committee of the Delhi sessions of the Indian National Congress held in December, 1918.  He took part in the opening ceremony of the Khilafat, Non-Cooperation Movement, where he gave up his honorary titles like ‘Kaisar-e-Hind’, ‘Haziqul-Mulk’, which were conferred by the British government and thus became a role model.  He was a member of the delegation that met the Viceroy in January, 1920 on the Khilafat issue.  He also presided over the Indian National Congress session in 1921, at Ahmadabad.  He became the first Chancellor of the Jamia Millia Islamia (National Muslim University), which was started for the student holding nationalist ideology.  In strengthening the institute as a Chancellor he strengthened nationalist ideology.  When Mahatma Gandhi was arrested on 10^th March, 1922, Ajmal Khan led the movement.  He worked hard for harmonious relations between Hindus and Muslims and held a meeting in his house with the leaders of Hindus and Muslims in September, 1924.  He served the Indian people as a medical doctor, educationalist and politician.  Dr. Ajmal Khan was a poet as well.  He wrote poems in Urdu and Persian languages, the anthology was brought by Dr. Zakir Hussain with the title ‘Diwan-Shadia’ in 1926.  Though Hakim Ajmal Khan retired from active politics in 1925 due to his poor health, he tirelessly worked for the promotion of communal harmony between Hindus and Muslims till his death on 29^th December, 1927.