Begum Qudsia Rasul: A Memoir
Begum Qudsia AizazRasul
autobiographical self-fashioning... provide valuable insights
into the challenges and possibilities of public life for
women who had to negotiate the dual burden of gendered
marginalisation and minoritisation in post-colonial India.'
South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies
First published in 2001 as From Purdah to Parliament: The Memoirs of a Muslim Woman in Indian Politics, this revised edition chronicles Begum Qudsia Rasul’s (1909–2001) journey from a progressive upbringing to becoming a vocal advocate for Muslim women’s rights. She played a significant role in challenging purdah, encouraging education, and promoting political participation among women. As the first and only Muslim woman in the Constituent Assembly of India, she contributed to drafting the Indian Constitution to ensure that it reflected secular and egalitarian principles. Her life can be defined as a blend of privilege turned into purpose, marked by a commitment to breaking societal barriers and contributing to a modern, inclusive India.
Begum Qudsia Aizaz Rasul was the only Muslim woman in India’s Constituent Assembly. Born into the Malerkotla royal family and married to a landowning aristocrat from Hardoi, she was a pioneering politician who served in the UP Assembly and the Rajya Sabha. Beyond politics, she championed women’s hockey, serving as the president of the Indian Women’s Hockey Federation for two decades. Later, she went on to head the Asian Women’s Hockey Federation. Recipient of Padma Bhushan, she has left behind a rich legacy of service.
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