Raja Sahib of Mahmudabad (1914-1973)

Quaid-e-Azam with Raja Sahib of Mahmudabad

Raja Amir Ahmed Khan of Mahmudabad, well known as 'Raja Sahib of Mahmudabad', was a gifted disciple and trusted associate of Quaid-e-Azam at a very early age. He was born on November 5, 1914, educated at Lucknow and then in England. His father, Maharaja Sir Mohammad Ali Mohammad Khan (1877-1931), was a great landowner of the U.P. and a trusted friend of Quaid-e-Azam, who had presided sessions of the All-India Muslim League in 1917, 1918 and 1928.

Raja Amir Ahmed Khan succeeded to the estate Mahmudabad on March 23, 1931 on his father's death. At that time Mahmudabad was one of the richest estates of the Awadh. Raja Sahib was keenly interested in the Muslim renaissance and associated himself with the Muslim League at an early age. He was at one time the youngest member of the Working Committee of the All-India Muslim League. In 1937, he formed the All-India Muslim Students Federation, which mobilized the Muslim Youth for the cause of Islam and soon became vanguard of the Pakistan Movement. Under his able guidance, Muslim students spread throughout the sub-continent and most tenaciously organized the campaign of Muslim League candidates in the general elections, which eventually led to the establishment of Pakistan.

Raja Amir Ahmed Khan also served as Honorary Treasurer of the League for several years. He was a puritan and ascetic in personal life and placed all his wealth and ancestral estate at the disposal of Muslim League.

He migrated to Pakistan after Independence, but was disillusioned by the political turmoil and migrated to Iraq. Subsequently settling in London where he remained Director of the Islamic Culture Centre for some time. He died on October 14, 1973 in London and was buried at Mashhad, Iran.