Begum Waheed Jahan (1886-1939), affectionately known as Aala Bi, was a pioneering figure in the movement for Muslim women’s education in India. Born in Delhi in 1874 to a progressive family, she received a comprehensive home education in Urdu, Persian, arithmetic, and English, a rarity for girls at the time. Her marriage in 1902 to Sheikh Abdullah, a prominent lawyer and advocate of the Aligarh Movement, marked the beginning of a formidable partnership dedicated to social reform. Together, they had six children, including the notable writer Rashid Jahan.
Recognising that the Aligarh Movement’s focus on men’s education had neglected women, Begum Waheed Jahan became a driving force for change. She began her efforts modestly by teaching the children of her household staff, one of the earliest initiatives for group education for girls from diverse backgrounds. She persistently encouraged her husband to prioritise the establishment of a girls’ school and organised meetings with educated women to build a network of support for the cause.
Despite facing considerable opposition from orthodox society, the couple founded the Aligarh Girls’ School in October 1906. It began in a rented house with 17 students, offering a curriculum of Urdu, Quranic studies, arithmetic, and needlework. To address concerns about the safety of female students, the school was transformed into a residential institution in 1914. In a remarkable display of dedication, Begum Waheed Jahan moved into the hostel to live among the students, fostering a nurturing, family-like atmosphere that earned her the loving title “Aala Bi” (mother). While the institution observed strict purdah to gain the trust of conservative families, the couple viewed this as a temporary strategy to advance their ultimate goal of women’s emancipation.
Their vision and hard work led to the institution’s phenomenal growth. It became an intermediate school in 1925 and was elevated to a degree college in 1937. Today, it is the prestigious Women’s College at Aligarh Muslim University. Begum Waheed Jahan championed education as a means for women to achieve financial independence and break free from traditional domestic confinement; the college produced influential alumnae, such as the writer Ismat Chughtai. To amplify their message, she and her husband launched the Urdu monthly magazine Khatoon in 1904, with Begum Waheed Jahan serving as its editor.
Though she received no formal awards, her legacy is immortalised in the success of the institution she co-founded. Her impact is best summarised by her daughter Rashid Jahan, who said, “We have slept on the mattress of women’s education and covered ourselves with the quilt of women’s education from our earliest consciousness.” Begum Waheed Jahan passed away in 1939, leaving an indelible mark on the history of women’s empowerment in India.