B F H I R S T

Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain

Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain was a pioneering Bengali feminist thinker, writer, educator, and social activist who championed women’s rights in British India during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Her tireless efforts to challenge oppressive social norms...

Fatima Arzu Begam

Fatima Arzu Begam was an influential and pioneering figure in the early feminist movement in India, recognised for her significant contributions to women’s education and social reform. As the sister of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, a preeminent leader of the Indian...

Fatima Begum ‘Arzu’

Fatima​​ ​Begum ‘Arzu’ (1879–1966) was a pioneering scholar, educationist, and social reformer who made foundational contributions to Muslim women’s education in early 20th-century India. Born in Mecca to the distinguished...

Hajrah Begum

Hajrah Begum (1910–2003) was a trailblazing Muslim woman in 20th-century India, renowned for her pivotal roles in the communist movement, women’s rights advocacy, and social reform. Born on December 22, 1910, in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, she hailed from a...

Ismat Chughtai

Ismat Chughtai was a rebellious and iconic figure in 20th-century Urdu literature, celebrated for her fearless writing, sharp wit, and unwavering commitment to telling the stories of women in a patriarchal society. As one of the four pillars of modern Urdu fiction,...