Sardar Sir Sikander Hayat Khan, KB, KCSI, Doctor of Oriental Lit etc (5 June 1892 in Multan – 25/26 December 1942) was a renowned British Indian politician from the Punjab. He was the son of late Nawab Muhammad Hyat Khan CSI, of Wah, a close associate of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, and a prominent scion of the Khattar Jatt tribe of Attock, North Punjab.
Khan led the Unionist Party, (Later renowned as the Unionist Muslim League) an all-Punjab political party formed to represent the interests of the landed gentry and landlords of Punjab which included Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus. He had taken over leadership of this group from Fazli Husein. Khan led his party in the 1937 elections, held under the Government of India Act 1935. He governed the Punjab as premier in coalition with the Sikh Akali Dal and the Indian National Congress.
Khan opposed the Quit India Movement of 1942, and supported the Allied powers during World War II. Khan believed in politically cooperating with the British for the independence of India and the unity of Punjab.
In 1937, Jinnah signed the Sikander-Jinnah pact at Lucknow, in support of the Lahore Resolution, which was also in fact written by Khan, calling for an autonomous or semi-independent Muslim majority region withion the larger Indian confederation-- which demand later led to the demand for an independent Pakistan.
Khan died in 1942. He is buried at the footsteps of the Badshahi Masjid in Lahore, commemorated for his contributions to Islam by having restored and revitalized the grand mosque .
His son, late Shaukat Hayat Khan, continued the family's political role in post-Independence Pakistan. Among Sir Sikandar's grandchildren, are Yawar Hyat Khan, the famous Pakistani television director/producer and Tariq Ali a British Pakistani writer and lecturer of international repute. Among his great-grandchildren, is the Pakistani poet, writer, research scholar and social activist Omer Tarin (Omer Salim Khan).
Source : Wikipedia
Dear Sir, I have read with quite some interest this site documenting some of the most prominent Indian Muslims from before and after 1947; and I must give you credit for compiling this significant and ongoing list.
ReplyDeleteHowever, if I might say so, please, while you seem to have done a comprehensive job so far in historical terms, there seem to be very few names reflected here from amongst Indian Muslims (pre-1947) from NWFP area (now 'Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa' in Pakistan)? I havent seen any actually.
Possibly, you might kindly rectify this, by adding some famous names of personalities like Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Bacha Khan), Sahibzada Sir Abdul Qayyum Khan, Khan Sahib Abdul Majid Khan Tarin, OBE, and others, who played notable roles in the freedom struggle. Thank you.
Regards
Dr Ifti. H. Malik
Also missing (quite strangely) from this list are some other very important political figures such as (a) Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who at least should be given some credit for his early career even if his espousal of Pakistan was unwelcome to many people (b) Mian Sir Fazli Husain, the famous Unionist leader of the Punjab, (c) Nawab Hamidullah Khan of Bhopal, who headed the Indian Chamber of Princes at a crucial time and (d) Maulvi AK Fazlul Haq, the 'strong man of Bengal', who wielded considerable authority at one time in history; some others too deserve mention, please.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, some major Muslim sportsmen and writers etc, are also notable by their absence and some names like Nawab Iftikhar Ali Khan and Nawab Mansur Ali Khan (Pataudi)should kindly be added; as well as Syed Muhammad Jafar, the renowned Hockey Olympian. In literature and arts the additions could be many but at least, Altaf Hussain Hali, 'Deputy' Nazir Ahmad, Syed Ahmad Shah Bukhari 'Pitras' and so on should be reflected. In cinema, too, one would very much like to see 'Dilip Kumar' (Yusuf Khan) honoured by a mention.
ReplyDeleteFinally, despite any other considerations, a religious scholar of the stature of Maulana Maududi sahib should also find at least brief mention.
I know that you are indeed doing a fine and note-worthy job here, and it must be quite difficult and onerous but as a scholar of the history of the Indian subcontinent, it would be my humble and sincere request if you could kindly add at least some of these personalities as mentioned above, to add further lustre to these pages.
Thanks again, and many salams!
If I can be of any assistance , you are most welcome to contact me via email
ReplyDeleteVery fine and commendable effort! Am really happy to visit and see this site, as I believe that Indian Muslims, both before and after Partition in 1947, played (and are playing) a really dynamic role in building up India at many levels.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, I must also agree with the comments above by Ifti M2 that some more of the very famous people mentioned should be added to this useful repository. I hope you will find the time and keep on adding more great Indian Musliims here please!
All good wishes
Dr Sophia D (UK)
Dear Sir,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your great efforts in establishing these important people in history, including many of the names mentioned in previous comments. This effort is, indeed, commendable.
My name is Amer Hyat Khan and I am the son of Late Brigadier Azmat Hyat Khan and the grandson of Sir Sikander, highlighted above. My late father was Sikander's only son who had the privilege of being his Personal Assistant while he was the Chief Minister of the Punjab.
Of many accounts recounted by my late father, it seems that most are not familiar with Sir Sikander's involvement in the independence of Pakistan and India as following: Sir Sikander negotiated the independence of these two countries with Sir Winston Churchill in exchange for the Indian Army (Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs) fighting in WW II on behalf England. The agreement, as witnessed by my father and some others in the room, including such independence once the war was over. With this agreement in place, Sir Sikander had to 'sell' it to all factions and in an effort to show his support, Sir Sikander asked four sons who were of age to enlist in various branches of service - the son's were Shaukat, Azmat, Riffat and Izzat.
I just wanted to share this info with everyone else it is likely to die with my generation.
Please feel free to reach me by email if you have any questions.
Thank you,
Amer Hyat Khan
A very interesting view Mr Amer Hyat Khan. However, your grandfather Sir Sikandar Hyat Khan only publicly and directly met the British PM Winston Churchill once I. E in August 1942 , in Cairo, Egypt, during WW2. At no place is your father listed among Sir Sikandar's entourage at that time and from British Indian Army Lists it seems your father was newly commissioned as a 2nd Lt in the 4/12 FFR in January 1942 and after some training he was initially appointed on staff duties with H.E Sir B. Glancey , Governor of the Punjab , where he remained between March and December 1942. After his father's death in that month and marriage (to your mother during the same days) he was posted to Burma with his unit , serving there until 1944. I think your respected father must have been mistaken in his impression of any private meeting between Churchill and Sir Sikandar, as Churchill never visited India during WW2 . In Cairo, Churchill offered Sir Sikandar a seat in his own War Cabinet in appreciation for his recruitment contributions for the British Indian Army in 1939-1942. But Sir Sikandar refused that offer after consulting Mr MA Jinnah on his return to India. These are the known historical facts.
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