Bilkees Idrees Latif (c. 1931 – 2017) was a distinguished Indian social worker, activist, writer, and artist, renowned for her dedicated humanitarian work in the slums of India. For her significant contributions to society, she was awarded the Padma Shri in 2009. She was also a founding member of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH).
Born into a privileged and influential Muslim family in Hyderabad State, Latīf’s life was shaped by a complex and high-profile upbringing. Her father was Ali Yavar Jung, a nobleman, diplomat, and educationist who served as India’s ambassador to several countries and as the Governor of Maharashtra. Her mother, Alys, was of French and German descent. Her parents divorced during her childhood, and both remarried. Her father’s second wife, Zehra Ali Yavar Jung, was also a noted social worker, while her mother became a celebrated socialite known as Alys Hyderi. This environment exposed Latīf to both high society and the ethos of public service from a young age.
In her early teens, she entered into an arranged marriage with Idris Hasan Latif, an officer in the British Raj’s Air Force who was nine years her senior. Their marriage was a harmonious and enduring partnership. Idris Latif’s career was as illustrious as her father’s; he opted to stay with India after the partition and rose to become the first Muslim Chief of Air Staff of the Indian Air Force. He later served as the Governor of Maharashtra and as India’s ambassador to France.
Throughout her husband’s career, Bilkees Latīf developed a distinct public profile of her own. She adeptly utilised the networking skills she learned from her mother, combined with access to influential circles from her father and husband, to advance her social causes. Her work came to national prominence when her husband was appointed Governor of Maharashtra in 1982, a position her father had previously held. Drawing on her prior experience, she pursued her welfare projects with immense dedication. Her most significant achievement was her work to improve living conditions in Dharavi, Mumbai, which was then the largest slum in the world. Her sincere efforts were widely publicised, making her a familiar face on the national television network, Doordarshan.
Beyond her activism, Latīf was a prolific author of five books. Her literary work included the Essential Andhra Cookbook, a study of her regional cuisine; Fragrance of Forgotten Years, an autobiography of her early life; Forgotten, which profiled the lives of six notable women from Indian history; and The Ladder of His Life, a comprehensive biography of her husband. She also documented her experiences in the slums in a book titled O Dharavi.
Bilkees Latīf passed away in October 2017 at the age of 86. She was survived by her husband, who died a few months later, and their three children.