Abadi Bano Begum

 

Abadi Bano Begum: Bi Amma

"Communal harmony is imperative to win freedom." - Abadi Bano Begum

Abadi Bano Begum played major role in the National Freedom Struggle and Khilafat Movement.

Abadi Bano Begum (reverently called as Ammijaan by Mahatma Gandhi and other leaders), a guiding force for women in the national movement, was born in 1852 in Moradabad, U.P. and was married to Abdul Ali Khan of erstwhile princely state, Rampur. 

Although, she lost her husband at a young age, Abadi Bano inculcated in her two sons Mohammad Ali and Shaukat Ali (known as Ali brothers, the committed leaders of freedom movement) the patriotism, nationalism and sacrifice for the country. Once Ali brothers were detained, Britishers coerced Ammijaan to extract a Mercy appeal’, she strongly denied with the words ‘she would strangulate her sons rather than a compromise for the independence’. Abadi Bano, besides taking active part in Khilafat and other movements also provided huge funds for the freedom fighters. 

She declared in several meetings of her burning ambition to see the country independent which resulted in her being harassed and termed as a ‘dangerous person’ by the Raj. She was committed patriotic, nationalist and votary of Hindu-Muslim unity. Due to atrocities of police and health compromises for national cause, Ammijaan breathed her last November 13, 1924.

However, Ammijaan would remain immortal in the history of Indian Independence movement and for the vision of India that Gandhi envisaged.