Evajzp at 19:52, 17 April 2026

2026-04-17T19:52:11Z

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{{short description|Indian politician}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2015}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Begum Abida Ahmed
| image = Abida Ahmed First Lady of India.gif
| birth_date = 17 July 1923
| birth_place = [[Badaun district]], [[United Provinces of British India|United Provinces]], [[British Raj|British India]]
| death_date = 7 December 2003 (aged 80)
| death_place = [[New Delhi]], [[India]]
| office1 = [[First Ladies and Gentlemen of India|First Lady of India]]
| term_label1 = In role
| term_start1 = 24 August 1974
| term_end1 = 11 February 1977
| president1 = [[Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed]]
| prime_minister1 = [[Indira Gandhi]]
| vice_president1 = [[Gopal Swarup Pathak]]<br>[[B.D. Jatti]]
| predecessor1 = Saraswati Bai
| successor1 = Sangamma Jatti (Interim)<br/>Neelam Nagaratnamma Reddy
| party = [[Indian National Congress]]
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed]]|1945|11 February 1977|reason=died}}
| children = 3
| education = [[Aligarh Muslim University]]
| website =
| date =
| year =
| office2 = [[Member of Parliament (India)|Member of Parliament]], [[Lok Sabha]]
| term_start2 = 1981
| term_end2 = 1989
| predecessor2 = Misaryar Khan
| successor2 = [[Santosh Gangwar]]
| constituency2 = [[Bareilly Lok Sabha constituency|Bareilly]]
}}
[[File:President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed and First Lady Begum Abida Ahmed.jpg|thumb|President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed and First Lady Abida Ahmed]]
'''Begum Abida Ahmed''' (17 July 1923 – 7 December 2003) was an Indian politician, artist, and social activist, notable for her role as the [[First Lady of India]] from 1974 to 1977, as the wife of [[Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed]], the fifth [[President of India]]. She was later a Member of Parliament in the [[Lok Sabha]], representing the Bareilly parliamentary constituency of Uttar Pradesh.

==Early life==
Abida Ahmed was born on 17 July 1923 in [[Sheikhupur, Badaun]], Uttar Pradesh. She grew up in a politically engaged environment, which shaped her future interests in public service and activism.

She pursued her education at the [[Women's College, Aligarh]] and the [[Aligarh Muslim University]], [[Aligarh]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ram |first=Sharmila Ganesan |date=2022-07-11 |title=Times top10 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/gender-july-11-2022/coronabytes/msid-92769633.cms |access-date=2024-10-02 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> There she excelled academically and demonstrated an interest in national and international affairs. Her early exposure to politics and social issues inspired her to pursue a career in public life.

She married her husband [[Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed]] on 9 November 1945.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vajpayee |first=Ramkrishna |date=2020-12-07 |title=बेगम आबिदा अहमद की पुण्यतिथि, जानिए उनकी जिंदगी से जुड़े अनसुने किस्से |trans-title=Begum Abida Ahmed's death anniversary, know the unheard stories related to her life |url=https://newstrack.com/special-news/know-the-unheard-stories-of-begum-abida-ahmed-life-on-her-death-anniversary-724820.html |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=newstrack.com |language=hi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Agrawal |first=M. G. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vnJ0MwbAsEAC&pg=PA119 |title=Freedom Fighters of India (In Four Volumes) |publisher=Isha Books |year=2008 |isbn=9788182054684 |pages=119}}</ref> Their marriage was arranged while Ali Ahmed was in prison and Abida Ahmed in college.<ref name=":2" />

In 1957 Abida Ahmed traveled with her husband and relocated to New York City as part of her husbands assignment to the United Nations.<ref>{{Cite news |last=De Groodt |first=Helene |date=1973-12-12 |title=Indian Painter Gives Watergate Interpretation in Oils |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/237239764 |access-date=2024-10-02 |work=THe Orlando Sentinel |pages=24}}</ref> She also accompanied [[Pat Nixon]] while she and her husband were on a state visit to India.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1969-07-31 |title=Pat charms Indian village as President meets brass |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1085959623/ |access-date=2024-10-02 |work=The Evening News |pages=15 |agency=UPI}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Thornton |first=Thomas |url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781000230345 |title=The Hope and the Reality: U.S.-Indian Relations from Roosevelt to Reagan |publisher=Routledge |year=1992 |isbn=978-0-429-31161-1 |editor-last=Gould |editor-first=Harold A. |edition=1 |language=en |chapter=U.S.-Indian Relations in the Nixon and Ford Years |doi=10.4324/9780429311611 |editor-last2=Ganguly |editor-first2=Šumit}}</ref>

==Career==

=== First Lady of India ===
Abida Ahmed is credited with having overhauled the presidential kitchen and ensuring [[Awadhi cuisine]] was included in its repertoire.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Collingham |first1=Lizzie |author-link=Lizzie Collingham |url=https://archive.org/details/aroundindiasfirs0000coll/ |title=Around India's First Table : Dining and Entertaining at the Rashtrapati Bhavan |last2=Husain |first2=Salma |publisher=Government of India |year=2016 |location=New Delhi, India |pages=119 |language=en |access-date=2024-10-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=16 September 2021 |title=All the Presidents' Meals: What is served at the First Table |language=en |work=The Indian Express |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/express-sunday-eye/all-the-presidents-meals-whats-served-at-the-first-table-7513249/ |url-status=live |access-date=3 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220903153113/https://indianexpress.com/article/express-sunday-eye/all-the-presidents-meals-whats-served-at-the-first-table-7513249/ |archive-date=3 September 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/935310855 |title=The presidential retreats of India |date=2015 |publisher=Publications Division, Government of India |isbn=978-81-230-2075-4 |editor-last=Wright |editor-first=Gillian |location=New Delhi |oclc=935310855 |editor-last2=Fanthome |editor-first2=André Jeanpierre |editor-last3=India |editor-last4=Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts |editor-last5=India}}</ref> Additionally she worked at redecorating the rooms and upholstery of the [[Rashtrapati Bhavan]] and aided in designing the surrounding landscaping.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/967545120 |title=Life at Rashtrapati Bhavan |date=2016 |publisher=Publication Division, Government of India |isbn=978-81-230-2298-7 |editor-last=Gopalakrishnan |editor-first=Sudha |series=RB series |location=New Delhi |oclc=967545120 |editor-last2=Yashaswini Chandra |editor-last3=Khanna |editor-first3=Dinesh |editor-last4=India |editor-last5=India |editor-last6=Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts |editor-last7=Rashtrapati Bhavan (New Delhi, India)}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=1 November 2020 |title=Feels Like Home |language=en |work=The Indian Express |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/express-sunday-eye/feels-like-home-6911758/ |url-status=live |access-date=3 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220903153110/https://indianexpress.com/article/express-sunday-eye/feels-like-home-6911758/ |archive-date=3 September 2022}}</ref> She also organized events and gatherings involving the Rashtrapati Bhavan.<ref name="Rathi" /> Her husband died while in office in 1977 marking the end of her role as first lady.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1977-02-11 |title=India's President Ahmed dies; hailed as 'a great Moslem' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/532195851 |access-date=2024-10-02 |work=The Berkshire Eagle |pages=2 |agency=UPI}}</ref>

=== Member of Parliament ===
In 1979 while attempting to file her paperwork for the [[1980 elections in India|1980 election]] Ahmed was stopped by protesters surrounding her home in an attempt to prevent her and other women from filing election paperwork.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Goswami |first=Sabita |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E7t5DAAAQBAJ |title=Along the Red River: A Memoir |date=11 March 2014 |publisher=Zubaan Books |edition=1 |location=New Delhi, India |isbn=978-93-83074-26-6 |language=en |translator-last=Mathur |translator-first=Triveni Goswami |access-date=2024-10-12}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=Class, caste, gender |date=2004 |publisher=Sage Publications |isbn=978-0-7619-9643-9 |editor-last=Mohanty |editor-first=Manoranjan |series=Readings in Indian government and politics |location=New Delhi; Thousand Oaks, Calif}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=A Space Within the Struggle: Women's Participation in People's Movements |date=November 27, 1990 |publisher=Zubaan |editor-last=Sen |editor-first=Ilina |location=New Delhi, India}}</ref> As the police attempted to break up the protest two people died.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Avishek |first=Sengupta |date=2016-11-12 |title=Martyrs' families angry, confused |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/north-east/martyrs-families-angry-confused/cid/1403155 |access-date=2024-10-02 |work=The Telegraph India}}</ref> Her paperwork was later smuggled out of her home by one of her supporters with a police escort.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Niesewand |first=Peter |date=1979-12-11 |title=Two die in Indian Election violence |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/260622406 |access-date=2024-10-01 |work=[[The Guardian]] |pages=7}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bhagabati |first=Dikshit Sarma |date=2021 |title=Exorcisms: Xenophobia, citizenship, and the spectre of Assamese nationalism |journal=Jindal Global Law Review |language=en |volume=12 |issue=1 |pages=171–203 |doi=10.1007/s41020-021-00147-4 |issn=0975-2498 |pmc=8178655}}</ref>

In 1980, she was elected to the [[7th Lok Sabha]], serving [[Bareilly Lok Sabha constituency|Bareilly]], [[Uttar Pradesh]] as a member of the [[Indian National Congress]]. She was re-elected in 1984 to the [[8th Lok Sabha]].<ref name="Rathi">{{cite news |date=2017-07-26|title=Savita Kovind enters Rashtrapati Bhavan, but India's First Ladies are yet to make a mark |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/savita-kovind-enters-rashtrapati-bhavan-but-indias-first-ladies-are-yet-to-make-any-mark-4767676/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220903153109/https://indianexpress.com/article/india/savita-kovind-enters-rashtrapati-bhavan-but-indias-first-ladies-are-yet-to-make-any-mark-4767676/ |archive-date=3 September 2022 |access-date=3 September 2022 |work=The Indian Express |last=Rathi|first=Nandini}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=Women and politics in Asia: a springboard for democracy |date=2012 |publisher=Institute of Southeast Asian Studies; Lit Verlag |isbn=978-981-4311-73-1 |editor-last=Fleschenberg |editor-first=Andrea |location=Singapore : Zürich |editor-last2=Derichs |editor-first2=Claudia |editor-last3=Institute of Southeast Asian Studies}}</ref> In 1986 she spoke out against a bill giving women who divorce their husbands alimony.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Majumdar |first=Maya |title=Encyclopaedia of gender equality through women empowerment |publisher=Sarup & Sons |year=2005 |isbn=978-81-7625-548-6 |location=New Delhi |pages=248 |chapter=Time of Transition}}</ref>
* She founded the society named "God's Grace" which was registered with the Registrar of Societies under the [[Indian Societies Registration Act]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.godgraces.org/AboutSchool.html |title=About - God's Grace School |access-date=5 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331182622/http://www.godgraces.org/AboutSchool.html |archive-date=31 March 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* She was member of India Islamic Cultural Centre (IICC).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-01-04 |title=India Islamic Cultural Centre - 1981-2018 Genesis, Aims, Obligations |url=https://muslimmirror.com/india-islamic-cultural-centre-1981-2018-genesis-aims-obligations/ |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=Muslim Mirror |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Masoud |first=Abdul Bari |date=2024-08-15 |title=Khurshid becomes India Islamic Cultural Centre president, RSS-backed candidate loses |url=https://indiatomorrow.net/2024/08/15/khurshid-becomes-india-islamic-cultural-centre-president-rss-backed-candidate-loses/ |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=IndiaTomorrow}}</ref>
* She formed Humsub Drama Group in 1974 for [[Urdu]] theatre.<ref>{{cite news |title=The royal touch |url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/theatre/article77192.ece |work=[[The Hindu]] |date=7 January 2010 |access-date=9 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103000440/http://www.thehindu.com/arts/theatre/article77192.ece |archive-date=3 November 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=July 11, 2022 |title=Gender+ newsletter |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/gender-july-11-2022/newslettertoi/msid-92769633.cms |access-date=2023-07-18 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>
She later served as the president of the [[All India Mahila Congress|Mahila Congress]] from 1983 until 1988.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Devi |first=Prasad |date=2019-09-02 |title=How OBCs have had little say in the Congress party |url=https://www.forwardpress.in/2019/09/how-obcs-have-had-little-say-in-the-congress-party/#_edn4 |access-date=2024-10-03 |website=Forward Press |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Badhwar |first=Inderjit |date=1986-10-31 |title=All India Mahila Congress hit by political infighting between its chairperson and convenor |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/indiascope/story/19861031-all-india-mahila-congress-hit-by-political-infighting-between-its-chairperson-and-convenor-801370-1986-10-30 |access-date=2024-10-12 |work=India Today}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Abida and Fakhruddin had two sons and a daughter.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Orlando Sentinel 11 Feb 1977, page 48 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/303515006/?terms=%22fakhruddin%20ali%20ahmed%22&match=1 |access-date=3 September 2022 |work=Newspapers.com |language=en |archive-date=3 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220903100333/https://www.newspapers.com/image/303515006/?terms=%22fakhruddin%20ali%20ahmed%22&match=1 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |first= |date=1974-10-25 |title=India's First Lady Moves Into the Official Spotlight |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/10/25/archives/indias-first-lady-moves-into-the-official-spotlight-politics-for-29.html |access-date=2024-10-01 |work=[[New York Times]] |pages=34}}</ref> The elder of their sons, Parvez Ahmed, is a doctor who contested the [[2014 Indian general election|General Elections of 2014]] in the Barpeta constituency as a candidate of the [[Trinamool Congress|Trinamool Congress party]].<ref>{{cite news |title=The Orlando Sentinel 11 Feb 1977, page 48 |language=en |work=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/303515006/?terms=%22fakhruddin%20ali%20ahmed%22&match=1 |url-status=live |access-date=3 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220903100333/https://www.newspapers.com/image/303515006/?terms=%22fakhruddin%20ali%20ahmed%22&match=1 |archive-date=3 September 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Former President's son to fight for TMC |work=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/former-presidents-son-to-fight-for-tmc/articleshow/32236377.cms |url-status=live |access-date=3 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220903153109/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/former-presidents-son-to-fight-for-tmc/articleshow/32236377.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst |archive-date=3 September 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=31 March 2014 |title=Former President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed's son files nomination |work=Business Standard India |agency=Press Trust of India |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/former-president-fakhruddin-ali-ahmed-s-son-files-nomination-114033101103_1.html |url-status=live |access-date=3 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220903154612/https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/former-president-fakhruddin-ali-ahmed-s-son-files-nomination-114033101103_1.html |archive-date=3 September 2022}}</ref> Their other son, [[Badar Durrez Ahmed]], served as a judge of the [[Delhi High Court]] and retired as Chief Justice of the [[High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh|Jammu and Kashmir High Court]].<ref>{{cite news |date=22 March 2018 |title=Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed |work=Kashmir Life |url=https://kashmirlife.net/justice-badar-durrez-ahmed-issue-51-vol-09-168850/ |url-status=live |access-date=3 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220903153114/https://kashmirlife.net/justice-badar-durrez-ahmed-issue-51-vol-09-168850/ |archive-date=3 September 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Sharma |first1=Nalini |title=May the Force be with you! Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed bids farewell to Delhi HC [Read speech] |url=https://www.barandbench.com/news/justice-badar-durrez-ahmed-delhi-hc-farewell |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230709143246/https://www.barandbench.com/news/justice-badar-durrez-ahmed-delhi-hc-farewell |archive-date=9 July 2023 |access-date=3 September 2022 |website=Bar and Bench - Indian Legal news |date=29 March 2017 |language=en}}</ref> Abida was a badminton player and led the Assam team in the 1958 [[Indian National Badminton Championships|national championships]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2021-05-30 |title=How successive Indian presidents patronised sports and became champions too |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/express-sunday-eye/how-successive-indian-presidents-patronised-sports-and-became-champions-too-7335717/ |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[First ladies and gentlemen of India]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control |qid=Q4880611}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ahmed, Abida}}
[[Category:20th-century Indian Muslims]]
[[Category:1923 births]]
[[Category:2003 deaths]]
[[Category:India MPs 1980–1984]]
[[Category:India MPs 1984–1989]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Aligarh Muslim University alumni]]
[[Category:First ladies and gentlemen of India]]
[[Category:People from Bareilly]]
[[Category:People from Budaun district]]
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Women members of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women politicians]]
[[Category:People from Barabanki district]]
[[Category:Women members of the Lok Sabha]]

Abida Ahmed - Revision history

Evajzp at 19:52, 17 April 2026