Abida Sultaan: Memoirs of a Rebel Princess

by Abida Sultaan

Written shortly before her death this book documents the activities of a Muslim princess who rebelled against societal conventions to take an active public role, first, as heir-apparent and chief secretary within the context of an Indian princely state, then, shortly after partition of the
Indian subcontinent in 1947, as diplomat and dissident in independent Pakistan.

The heir apparent to a long line of women rulers in Bhopal State (central India) Princess Abida Sultaan was a profound witness to history. Bred by her grandmother to be a perfect synthesis of East and West, she knew most of the leaders in the independence struggle. Her memoirs are significant as
they give an insight into the changes that have occurred for politically active Muslim women of the Indian subcontinent in the twentieth century. It charts the internal political events of an individual princely state and includes a discussion on the collapse of princely India and the events
surrounding partition. Generally, this autobiography challenges the portrayal of Muslim women as silent, secluded and oppressed. Her memoirs will aid in removing widespread misconceptions, particularly with regard to the status of women in Islam.

Princess Abida left Bhopal and migrated to Pakistan in 1949. She died in Karachi on 11 May 2002.

Genres: History

355 pages, Hardcover

First published July 8, 2004

Reviews

[Shefali Tripathi Mehta]

Moving and extraordinarily inspirational memoir of the feisty Begum Abida Sultaan, the heir to the Bhopal Nawabs who decided to move to the newly created Pakistan during the partition of the country. It is one book everyone, girls and Bhopalis especially, should read to understand our common culture and background, and be inspired not just by her exceptional courage and fortitude, but her fearless questioning of conventions and stereotypical attitudes, especially regarding women. A woman far ahead of her times whose life continues to inspire as well as touch our lives two generations later. The book falters in the flow of the narrative and repetitions mainly due to too much material but this never distracts from the story.

[Nasreen Ghori]

A myriad of fascinating tales comprising of Princess Abida Sultan, of Sarkar AmmaN, of princely states of India, their Nawabs and princes, of Bhopal, of Muslim culture of colonized Indian subcontinent, of British royalty, of changing political scene of colonized India, of political history of Pakistan since birth and what not..!

اصل میں یہ ایک سوانح حیات نہیں تین سوانح عمریاں ہیں۔ ایک شہزادی عابدہ سلطان کی، ایک سرکار اماں کی عابدہ سلطان کی زبانی اور ایک پاکستان کی۔

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