Khan Bahadur

From Bharatpedia, an open encyclopedia
This article is about the British Indian title. For the 1937 Indian film, see Khan Bahadur (film). For other uses, see Khan (disambiguation).
Khan Bahadur Medal
Khan bahadur medal.jpg
Title Badge for Khan Bahadur
VenueIndia
Presented byViceroy & Governor-General of India on behalf of the Government of British-occupied India. Civil decoration
EligibilityMuslim and non-Hindu native Indians
Post-nominalsKB
StatusDiscontinued since 1947
Last awarded1947
Precedence
EquivalentRai Bahadur (for Hindus)
Next (lower)Khan Sahib

Khan Bahadur – a compound of khan (leader) and bahadur (brave) – was a formal title of respect and honour, which was conferred exclusively on Muslim and other non-Hindu natives of British India. It was one degree higher than the title of Khan Sahib.

The title was conferred on individuals for faithful service or acts of public welfare to the Empire. Recipients were entitled to prefix the title to their name and were presented with a special Title Badge and a citation (or sanad). It was conferred on behalf of the Government of British India by the Viceroy and Governor-General of India.[1]

The title was dis-established in 1947 upon the independence of India.[2]

The title "Khan Bahadur" was originally conferred in Mughal India on Muslim subjects in recognition of public services rendered and was adopted by British India for the same purpose and extended to cover other non-Hindu subjects of the India. Hindu subjects of British-occupied India were conferred the title of "Rai Bahadur".

One of the recipients was Haji Hazrath Khan in early 1900. He was a building contractor from Solapur, Maharashtra, India. He built several buildings, roads, Asia’s second tallest chimney, Ginning mill, railway station etc. He also constructed a huge 50 plus rooms bungalow in 1937, popularly known as the Hazrath Khan Bunglow, built with several servant quarters, guest rooms, banquet hall, horse stables, ample car park etc. The residents were his family of 5 sons. The Hazrath Khan Bunglow still stands strong in Solapur.

Khan Bahadur Haji Hazrath Khan’s eldest son, Sir. Abdul Latif Haji Hazrath Khan was knighted by the queen of England, and awarded the title “Sir” (Published in London Gazette 12th June 1941) Link: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35184/supplement/3282/data.pdf Amongst other things, he was the Director of Moghul Lines Shipping company. The khan brothers owned vast tracts of agricultural land and properties, and were widely considered as the builders of Solapur city, and made significant contributions to the town’s economy.

Prime Minister Morarji Desai of India, President Mohammad Ali Jinnah of Pakistan etc were notable guests at the Hazrath Khan House. Even to this day the family is widely respected by locals and in the local language, they are called “Rajwada” or Princely family. The legacy of Khan Bahadur Haji Hazrath Khan, and Sir. Abdul Latif Haji Hazrath Khan lives on.

Recipients[edit]

The following is a chronological list of selected recipients (the list below is not exhaustive):

Sanad of Khan Bahadur Shaikh Khan Mohammed Qureshi of Bohar Mohallah Rawalpindi. 1921, Delhi
  • 15 June 1902:Khan Bahadur Malik Lal Khan Sheriyal. Senior Station Manager He served 30 years to British India Railways. Awarded him (kasir-Hind Medal, India General Services Medal, Durbar Medal 1902)
  • 1905 Muhammad Habibullah was awarded the title of Khan Bahadur by the Indian government [4]
  • 14 June 1912: Khan Bahadur Sayed Rustom Ali (Registrar, Court of the Political Resident, Aden).[5]
  • 1912: Khan Bahadur, Nadir Husain, District Superintendent of Police, Bengal. The title of Khan Bahadur was conferred on him in recognition of his services in the Police Department in June 1912.[6]
  • 1914: Khan Bahadur Muhammad Hira Khan, (Civil Engineer from University of Roorkee (Gold Medalist); Supervisor, Public Works Department, Lucknow, United Provinces. Title conferred in January 1914. His daughter, Captain Dr. Sultana Latif Begum Khan became a surgeon in the British Army (Royal Army Medical Corps.) after graduating from Lady Hardinge Medical College. She was known by the name Captain Dr. Lila Bai Bahl after her marriage to a Hindu , Captain Parkash Chand Bahl (of the British Army, Prince of Wales' Own Scinde Horse)[7]
  • 1918, Maulvi Abul Fazl Ahmad, Titabar, Jorhat, Assam
  • 1920: Khan Bahadur Abdul Ghani Khan, Dera Ismail Khan
  • 1925: Khan Bahadur Maulvi Alimuzzaman Chaudhuri. M.L.C. Landholder and Chairman, District Board and Municipality, Faridpur.[8]
  • 1928: Khan Bahadur Sardar Amir Saheb Rais of Manor, Bombay.
  • Khan Bahadur Dr. Abdul Aziz of Darjeeling Anjuman e islamia and honorary Municipal commissioner, Honorary magistrate etc
  • 1929: Khan Bahadur Maj.Gen. Fateh Naseeb Khan (Commander-in-chief of Alwar State Forces), was awarded the title of Khan Bahadur on 17 January 1929 [9]
"Saand" awarded in 1930 by Lord Irwin, Viceroy of India, to Syed Niaz Qutb
  • 1930: Khan Bahadur, Syed Niaz Qutb (also spelled as Qutab), Postmaster General, Indian Civil Service, Government of India under the British Crown, titled conferred as a recognition of his personal distinction in administrative services and professional contribution to the institution of post office in British administered India [10][11][12][13]
  • 1931: Khan Bahadur Maulvi Muhammad Fazlul Karim, retired Magte. and Collector, Bengal. The administrator of Refugees Bengal, Government of India.[14]
  • 1935: Sheikh Abdullah (1874–1965), Indian educationalist, social reformer, lawyer, and the founder of Women's College, Aligarh.[15][16]
  • 1935: Khan Bahadur Mulla Saleh bin Muhammed Al Mulla, Secretary of the Government of Kuwait; also priorly awarded Khan Saheb.
  • 1936: Khan Bahadur Waliur Rahman, Planter and Proprietor of several tea gardens in Duars, Assam.[17]
  • 1937: Khan Bahadur Muhammad Humayun, District Collector 1937-1939, ICS - Nellore.[18]
  • 1938: Khan Bahadur Maulvi Muhammad Yahya, (retd.) Dy. Magte. and Dy. Collector and Chief Manager, Dacca Nawab Estate[19]
  • 1940: Khan Bahadur Agha Nizamuddin Khan was presented the title on 11th July of 1940 in Simla by Viceroy Lord Linlithgow
  • 1943: Khan Bahadur Yousof Hossain Chaudhury, Vice-President, District School Board, Faridpur.[20]
  • Aziz al-Hasan Ghouri[21]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ H. Taprell Dorling. (1956). Ribbons and Medals. A.H.Baldwin & Sons, London. p. 111.
  2. ↑ Sharma, B. K. Introduction to the Constitution of India, Published by Prentice-Hall, India, 2007, ISBN 8120332466, p. 83.
  3. ↑ Islam, Sirajul; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir, eds. (2012). "Islam, Nawab Sirajul". Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 984-32-0576-6. OCLC 52727562. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  4. ↑ Aḥmad Saʻīd (1997). Muslim India, 1857–1947: a biographical dictionary. Institute of Pakistan Historical Research. p. 144.
  5. ↑ Bahadur, R. (1912). Who's who in India - Supplement. Рипол Классик. ISBN 9785872301257.
  6. ↑ Second Supplement to Who's Who in India. Lucknow Newul Kishore Press. 1914
  7. ↑ Second Supplement of Who's Who in India brought up to 1914. Lucknow Newul Kishore Press. 1914. Archived from the original on 12 July 2020. Alt URL
  8. ↑ The Quarterly Civil List for Bengal. Corrected up to 1st April 1930. Appendix. Part II. List of Title-Holders and Recipients of Decorations, etc., in Bengal. Page No. 67
  9. ↑ Various (15 March 2007). Alwar State List of Leading Officials, Nobles and Personages. Potter Press. p. 4. ISBN 978-1-4067-3137-8.
  10. ↑ Report of the Committee of Bengal Chamber of Commerce, published in year 1931. Proceedings of the Annual General Meeting 1932, i to xxi. Bengal Chamber of Commerce, India. 1931.
  11. ↑ The India Office and Burma Office List ... Harrison and sons, Limited. 1920. p. 29.
  12. ↑ The India Office and Burma Office List ... Harrison and sons, Limited. 1928. p. 950.
  13. ↑ Vārshika Riporṭa. Department of India Posts and Telegraphs, British Government of India. 1929.
  14. ↑ Government of Bengal. The Bengal Civil List (Published annually). Corrected up to 1st July 1944. No. 279. Part II - List of Persons in Bengal Holding Titles Conferred or Recognized by His Excellency The Viceroy. Page 443
  15. ↑ "The Other Sheikh Abdullah". September 24, 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24.
  16. ↑ "Aligarh Muslim University || Halls". www.amu.ac.in.
  17. ↑ The Bengal Civil List (Published half yearly) corrected up to 1st January 1937; Appendix – List of Title-Holders and Recipients of Decorations, etc. Page 696
  18. ↑ Government of Madras (2004). Gazetteer of the Nellore District: Brought Upto 1938. Asian Educational Services. p. 254. ISBN 978-81-206-1851-0.
  19. ↑ Government of Bengal. The Bengal Civil List (Published annually). Corrected up to 1st July 1944. No. 279. Part II - List of Persons in Bengal Holding Titles Conferred or Recognized by His Excellency The Viceroy. Page 444
  20. ↑ Government of Bengal. The Bengal Civil List (Published annually). Corrected up to 1st July 1944. No. 279. Part II - List of Persons in Bengal Holding Titles Conferred or Recognized by His Excellency The Viceroy. Page 445
  21. ↑ Faiz Qaziabadi. "Aziz al-Hasan Majzoob". kashmiruzma.net. Kashmir Uzma. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
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