Masuma Begum: Hyderabad's First Muslim Woman Minister And Padma Shri Honouree For Social Welfare

By Afroz Khan, New Age Islam 22 October 2025 Masuma Begum, born in 1902 in Hyderabad, overcame a conservative upbringing to become the city's first Muslim woman minister and a Padma Shri honouree. She championed women's rights, education, and health, leading organisations and influencing social reforms until her death in 1990. Main Points: 1. 1 .Born 1902, Hyderabad; educated, fluent in English, Urdu, Persian. 2. Congress member, won 1952 election, first Muslim woman minister (1960). 3. AIWC leader, president (1962), supported Sharda Act. 4. Founded Anjuman-e-Khawatin, and led social welfare organisations. 5. Padma Shri (1974), died 1990, women’s rights pioneer. ----- On 8 October 1902, Masuma Begum was born in Hyderabad. Her family was a conservative Muslim family where the purdah system was strictly followed, and Masuma Begum also adhered to it regularly. Despite being from a conservative family, Masuma Begum's parents arranged for the education of her and her sister. They enrolled them in Mahbubia Girls' School. Along with school studies, Masuma Begum also engaged in self-study at home. She mastered English, Urdu, and Persian languages, and could speak them fluently. Masuma Begum married her cousin Hussain Ali Khan, a modern-minded individual who had completed his higher education at Oxford and later became the director of Osmania University. After their marriage, her husband encouraged her to engage in politics and provided her with flexibility in adhering to the purdah system. Political Life With her husband's support, Masuma Begum began her social life by participating in religious activities in Hyderabad. Later, she joined the Indian National Congress Party. In 1952, she contested her first election from Hyderabad and won. In 1957, she was appointed as the deputy leader of the Congress Party. In 1960, Masuma Begum became the Minister for Social Welfare and Religious Endowments in the Andhra Pradesh government, earning the distinction of being the first Muslim woman minister from Hyderabad. In 1962, Masuma Begum withdrew from political affairs and dedicated herself entirely to social service. In 1927, she became a member of the All India Women's Conference (AIWC), a renowned feminist organisation focused on women's rights and welfare, working on issues like education, health, nutrition, and combating exploitation. In 1957, she took charge of AIWC's international relations and outreach programme. In 1962, she was appointed as the president of AIWC. Masuma Begum led several Indian delegations at various conferences. In 1955, she headed a delegation to Colombo for the golden jubilee of the International Alliance of Women. In 1959, she was selected as a member of the interim committee for the second conference of non-governmental organisations at the United Nations in Geneva. In 1929, the Child Marriage Restraint Act, also known as the Sharda Act, was introduced by the Indian government, declaring child marriage a crime. Implementing such an act in the conservative Indian society of that time required widespread support to ensure its success. Masuma Begum made several efforts to garner support for the Sharda Act. She collaborated with other women leaders, such as the Begum of Bhopal, to organise public meetings to build opinion against child marriage, providing an opportunity for women's organisations to come together. To address India's growing population problem, the Indian government attempted to implement family planning in the 1970s. Under the family planning programme, a review committee was formed to legalise abortion. Masuma Begum was a member of this committee and worked alongside Avabai Wadia. Based on the committee's recommendations, a new family planning program was introduced in 1972. Masuma Begum founded an organisation called "Anjuman-e-Khwateen" to promote education among Muslim women. This organisation not only worked for women's education but also focused on women's health and gender equality. Apart from Anjuman, Masuma Begum was associated with several women's organisations. She served as the chairperson of the Central Social Welfare Board, a government institution, and also worked on the boards of various non-governmental organisations, such as the Red Cross and the Lady Hydari Club. For her efforts in promoting women's empowerment, Masuma Begum was honoured with the 'Padma Shri' by the Government of India in 1974. She passed away on 2 March 1990 in Hyderabad. Throughout her life, Masuma Begum worked tirelessly for women's rights and welfare, emphasising the need to bring women out from behind the veil and integrate them into the mainstream of society. She contributed significantly to various fields, from women's education to health. ------ Afroz Khan is a teacher by profession, focusing on writings about women and Islam. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-personalities/masuma-woman-minister-padma-shri-honouree/d/137338 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism