✦ Celebrity stories, facts and career updates. Explore F4U now →

Home › Biography › Begum Hamida

Begum Hamida photo for featured biography, wiki and celebrities profileFeatured Biography

Image source: StarsUnfolded

Celebrities

Begum Hamida Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 22, 2026 • 3 min read

Request CorrectionClaim Profile

Quick Info

Date of birth20 November 1916

Age109 years

BirthplaceLucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

ProfessionSocial Worker & Politician

NationalityIndian

Marital statusWidow (at the time of death)

SpouseMajor General Enaith Habibullah

FamilySon - Wajahat Habibullah; daughter - Not Known; grandchildren include Amar Habibullah and Saif Habibullah; father - Nawab Nazir Yar Jung Bahadur

Begum Hamida Biography

Begum Hamida Habibullah was born on 20 November 1916 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Her father was Nawab Nazir Yar Jung Bahadur, who later served as Chief Justice of the Hyderabad High Court.

Early life and background

Begum Hamida Habibullah was born on 20 November 1916 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Her father was Nawab Nazir Yar Jung Bahadur, who later served as Chief Justice of the Hyderabad High Court. Much of her childhood was spent in Hyderabad after her father’s transfer when she was six, and she lived with her grandfather when her father traveled to England for further study. She completed Senior Cambridge with distinction and went on to earn a B.A. from Osmania University, where she was a gold medallist. She also undertook a two-year teachers’ training course at Whitelands College in Putney, London.

Her upbringing exposed her early to public service and education: as a young girl in Hyderabad she visited orphanages and developed an enduring interest in work for the disadvantaged. After returning from London she settled with her family in Lucknow, which became her long-term home.

Career

Hamida’s public life was anchored in social work and politics. She joined the Indian National Congress in 1965 and moved into elective office four years later. From 1969 to 1974 she represented Haidergarh (Barabanki) as a member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly. During that period she was appointed State Minister with responsibility for Social and Harijan Welfare, National Integration and Civil Defence from 1971 to 1973, and she also served as Tourism Minister from 1971 to 1974.

In the early 1970s she led the Mahila Congress at the state level, serving as President of the Uttar Pradesh Mahila Congress from 1972 to 1976. Her organisational roles extended to membership of executive committees: she was part of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee and the All India Congress Committee between 1969 and 1980. Later she served as a member of the Rajya Sabha from 1976 to 1982.

Alongside her formal political roles, Begum Hamida was active in education and women’s vocational initiatives. She held the presidency of Avadh Girls Degree College from 1975 and led Talimgah-E-Niswan College, an institution focused on the education of Muslim girls, which had been founded by her mother-in-law. She was a founder of the Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) that promoted self-employment for women and supported crafts such as Lucknow’s chikankari embroidery. She also co-founded the non-governmental organisation Prajwala.

Public profile

Hamida’s public persona combined political work with longstanding commitments to education and women’s welfare. She maintained close connections with prominent political leaders of her time and had a rapport with members of the Nehru-Gandhi family. Her preferred language was Urdu, and she listed reading, classical music, mushairas, travel and horse-racing among her interests.

Personal life

In 1938 she married Major General Enaith Habibullah, a senior army officer who later became the founder commandant of the National Defence Academy at Khadakvasla and who served during the Second World War. The couple had at least one son, Wajahat Habibullah, who became an Indian Administrative Service officer and later the country’s first Chief Information Commissioner. She was widowed prior to her death.

Later years and death

Begum Hamida celebrated her 100th birthday in November 2016. She died on 13 March 2018 at Command Hospital in Lucknow at the age of 101 after a period of chronic illness.

Legacy

Across many decades she was widely regarded in Lucknow and beyond for her work in education, women’s self-employment and public service. Her leadership roles in colleges for girls and in organisations promoting vocational skills for women, together with her long political career in the Indian National Congress, established her reputation as an advocate for social welfare and women’s advancement in Uttar Pradesh.

Latest updates

Begum Hamida’s death in March 2018 closed a public life that spanned both social activism and electoral politics. Institutions she led, such as Avadh Girls Degree College and Talimgah-E-Niswan, and organisations she helped found, remain points of reference for her contributions to education and women’s livelihoods.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is prepared from the public references listed below and reviewed for clarity. If you spot an outdated detail about Begum Hamida, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Accuracy

Request a Correction

Tell us what needs to be updated and share a reliable source so the editorial team can review it.

Ownership

Claim This Profile

If this profile is about you or your client, send your contact details and verification context.

◈

Recent Work

President, Avadh Girls Degree College

Served as president of Lucknow’s first English degree college for girls beginning in 1975.

1975
President, Talimgah-E-Niswan College

Led the school devoted to education for Muslim girls; institution founded by her mother-in-law.

1975
Member of Rajya Sabha

Served as a Rajya Sabha member representing her roles in national politics.

1976-1982
✦

Career Highlights

  1. Joined Indian National Congress in 1965
  2. MLA from Haidergarh (Barabanki), 1969–1974
  3. State Minister for Social and Harijan Welfare, National Integration & Civil Defence, 1971–1973
  4. Tourism Minister, 1971–1974
  5. President of Mahila Congress, UPCC, 1972–1976
  6. Member of UPCC and AICC executive committees, 1969–1980
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

People Also Search For

PoliticiansEntrepreneursCelebrities biographies
?

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Begum Hamida born?

Begum Hamida was born on 20 November 1916.

What is Begum Hamida known for?

Begum Hamida is known for social Worker & Politician.

What is Begum Hamida’s marital status?

Begum Hamida's marital status is listed as Widow (at the time of death).

Who is Begum Hamida married to?

Begum Hamida is publicly listed as married to Major General Enaith Habibullah.