Begum The: A Portrait of Ra'ana

Begum Raana Liaquat Ali Khan was the wife of Pakistans first prime minister. She was bornIrene Margaret Pant in Kumaon in the early twentieth century. A generation earlier her familyhad converted to Christianity and Irene grew up in the shadow of the Brahmin communitys stillactive outrage. Always intelligent outgoing and independent she was teaching economics in aDelhi college when she met the dashing Nawazada Liaquat Ali Khan a rising politician in the MuslimLeague and an ardent champion of the cause for Pakistan.She was immediately inspired by both the man and the idea; they married in 1933 and Irene Pantbecame Raana Liaquat Ali Khan. In August 1947 they left for Pakistan-led by Liaquats mentorand friend Mohammad Ali Jinnah. Raana threw herself into the work of nation building but in1951 Liaquat Ali Khan was assassinated and the reasons for his murder are still shrouded in mystery.Raana continued to be active in public life-and her contribution to womens empowerment inPakistan is felt to this day.Raanas life story embodies all the major tropes of the Indian subcontinents recent history.Three religions-Hinduism Christianity and Islam-had an immense impact on her lifeand she participated actively in all the major movements of her time-the freedom strugglethe Pakistani movement and the fight for womens empowerment. She could see clearly what wentwrong after 1947 and wasnt afraid to say so. She spoke out openly against the rise of religiousconservatism in Pakistan and the growing role of corruption. She occasionally met with oppositionbut she never gave up. It is this spirit that The Begum captures.