N V Raghunath at 03:23, 28 March 2026

2026-03-28T03:23:09Z

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{{short description|Indian academic (born 1982)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Ali Khan Mahmudabad<br><big>{{Nastaliq}}</big>
| native_name = علی خان محمودآباد
| image = Ali Khan Mahmudabad at John Strachey Hall.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Mahmudabad at John Strachey Hall
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1982|12|2}}
| birth_place = [[Lucknow]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], India
| occupation = Historian, poet, professor, columnist
| education = [[University of Damascus|University of Damascus, Syria]]<br />[[Cambridge University|Cambridge University, England, UK]]
| website = {{URL|https://www.ashoka.edu.in/profile/m-a-a-khan/}}
| spouse = Onaiza Drabu
| party = [[Samajwadi Party]]<ref name="bbc521">{{cite news |last1=Yadav |first1=Nikita |title=Bail for Indian professor arrested for comments on India-Pakistan conflict |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c93llyrrze7o |access-date=21 May 2025 |agency=BBC}}</ref>
| relations = [[Mohammad Amir Ahmed Khan]] (paternal grandfather), [[Jagat Singh Mehta]] (maternal grandfather), [[Haseeb Drabu]] (father in-law)
}}

'''Ali Khan Mahmudabad''' (born 2 December 1982) is an Indian historian, political scientist, writer, poet, and activist. He currently serves as the head of the Department of Political Science at [[Ashoka University]] in [[Sonipat]], [[Haryana]]. Known for his contributions to the [[Islamic studies]], [[:Category:Politics of South Asia|South Asian politics]], and [[modern history]], Ali is also noted for his writings on the [[Middle East]] and for his political engagements in India.

== Early life ==
Ali was born to Mohammad Amir Mohammad Khan in [[Lucknow]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], into a prominent aristocratic family historically associated with the [[Mahmudabad Estate]]. His grandfather, [[Mohammad Amir Ahmed Khan]], was the last ruling [[raja]] of [[Mahmudabad, India]] and a patron of the [[All-India Muslim League]] before the [[partition of India]] in 1947.<ref name="t353">{{cite web | title=Who is Ali Khan Mahmudabad? Ashoka University professor arrested over Operation Sindoor post | website=CNBCTV18 | date=2025-05-18 | url=https://www.cnbctv18.com/india/ali-khan-mahmudabad-ashoka-university-professor-arrested-over-operation-sindoor-remarks-19606255.htm | access-date=2025-05-24}}</ref>

Ali began his education at [[La Martiniere College]] in Lucknow, later continuing his studies in the United Kingdom. He attended [[King's College School]], [[Wimbledon, London|Wimbledon]] till 1996, and graduated from [[Winchester College]] in 2001. He earned his MPhil and PhD in Historical Studies from the [[University of Cambridge]], focusing on political thought in Muslim South Asia. He also studied Arabic at the [[University of Damascus]] in Syria.<ref name="t353"/>

== Academic career ==
Ali joined Ashoka University as a faculty member in the Department of Political Science, where he currently serves as an [[associate professor]] and Head of the Department. His academic work focuses on [[intellectual history]], [[political theology]], nationalism, and the interplay between religion and politics in South Asia.<ref name="t353"/>

Before his PhD, he obtained his MPhil, also from Cambridge. He wrote a thesis on trans-national Shi‘a Muslim networks in the early 20th century between South Asia and the Middle East which got published in the [[Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society]]<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Khan|first=M. A. A.|date=May 2014|title="Local nodes of a trans-national network: a case study of a Shi'i family in Awadh 1900- 1950"|journal=Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society|volume=24|issue=3|pages=397–413|doi=10.1017/S1356186314000078|s2cid=163799098}}</ref> and became a part of the book: ''The Shi‘a in Modern South Asian.''<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|title=The Shi'a in Modern South Asian|last=Khan|first=M. A. A.|publisher=Cambridge University Press|date=January 2015|chapter=Local nodes of a trans-national network: a case study of a Shi‘i family in Awadh 1900- 1950|location=London}}</ref>

He has published research on these subjects and has contributed articles and opinion pieces to various publications, including writings on Syria, Iran, and Iraq. His work has appeared in platforms such as [[National Geographic]].<ref name="t353"/>

Ali has a column in [[Urdu]] for [[The Inquilab]]. He also writes for online and print publications, including the [[Caravan Magazine]],<ref name="e096">{{cite web | last=Mahmudabad | first=Ali Khan | title=“My child refused to come near me”: How Women Burn Survivors in India Are Alienated from their Children | website=caravanmagazine.in | date=2017-08-24 | url=http://www.caravanmagazine.in/profile/23328/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170607061306/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/profile/23328/ | archive-date=2017-06-07 | url-status=dead | access-date=2025-05-24}}</ref> [[The Indian Express]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/profile/columnist/ali-khan-mahmudabad/|title=Ali Khan Mahmudabad|website=The Indian Express|language=en-US|access-date=2017-11-12}}</ref> [[times of india|Times of India]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/author/alikhanmahmudabad/|title=Ali Khan Mahmudabad Blog - Times of India Blog|website=Times of India Blog|language=en-US|access-date=2017-11-12}}</ref> [[The Outlook Magazine]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/author/ali-khan-mahmudabad/14761|title=outlookindia.com - more than just the news magazine from India|website=outlookindia.com/|access-date=2017-11-12}}</ref> [[Hindustan Times]], [[Business Standard]],<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Author - Ali Khan Mahmudabad |url=http://www.business-standard.com/author/search/keyword/ali-khan-mahmudabad |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116041402/https://www.business-standard.com/author/search/keyword/ali-khan-mahmudabad |archive-date=16 November 2017 |access-date=2017-11-12 |website=[[Business Standard]] |language=en}}</ref> [[Daily News and Analysis]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/authors/ali-khan-mahmudabad|title=Ali Khan Mahmudabad|work=dna|access-date=2017-11-12|language=en-US}}</ref> [[Tehelka magazine]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tehelka.com/author/ali-khan-mahmudabad/|title=Ali Khan Mahmudabad {{!}} Tehelka - Investigations, Latest News, Politics, Analysis, Blogs, Culture, Photos, Videos, Podcasts|website=tehelka.com|language=en-US|access-date=2017-11-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116033747/http://www.tehelka.com/author/ali-khan-mahmudabad/|archive-date=16 November 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> and [[The Sunday Guardian]] in India. He also writes for a number of publications from other parts of the world like [[The Guardian]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/profile/ali-khan-mahmudabad|title=Ali Khan Mahmudabad|website=theguardian.com|access-date=2017-11-12}}</ref> [[The Straits Times]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/isis-dream-of-becoming-a-country|title=ISIS' dream of becoming a country|last=hermes|date=2015-12-11|work=The Straits Times|access-date=2017-11-12|language=en}}</ref> and the [[Huffington Post]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.in/author/ali-khan-mahmudabad/|title=Ali Khan Mahmudabad|work=Huffington Post India|access-date=2017-11-12}}</ref> In addition to his teaching and research responsibilities, he regularly participates in academic conferences and public discussions on historical and political issues.<ref name="t353"/>

== Political career ==
Ali joined the [[Samajwadi Party]] in 2018 and served as its national spokesperson from 2019 to 2022. During his tenure, he was regarded as one of the close associates of party president [[Akhilesh Yadav]] and was active in representing the party's positions on various public platforms.<ref name="i572">{{cite web | last=Rehman | first=Asad | last2=Pathak | first2=Vikas | title=Who is Ali Khan Mahmudabad, Ashoka University academic arrested over remarks on Operation Sindoor? | website=The Indian Express | date=2025-05-18 | url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/who-is-ali-khan-mahmudabad-ashoka-university-professor-arrested-op-sindoor-10013993/ | access-date=2025-05-24}}</ref>

Since 2022, Ali has not held any official position within the party and has remained inactive in electoral or organizational politics.<ref name="i572"/>

== Arrest and controversy ==
On 18 May 2025, Ali was arrested in [[Delhi]] in connection with social media remarks he made concerning "[[Operation Sindoor]]," a series of Indian military strikes targeting the areas in Pakistan. The arrest followed a complaint filed by a leader of the [[Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha]] (BJYM), the youth wing of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP).<ref name="t344">{{cite web | last=Yadav | first=Nikita | title=Ali Khan Mahmudabad: Bail for Indian professor arrested for anti-war comments | website=BBC Home | date=2025-05-21 | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c93llyrrze7o | access-date=2025-05-24}}</ref>

The controversy arose from a series of posts made by Ali on 8 May 2025, which were perceived by some as critical of the [[military operation]]. His detention drew criticism from academic and civil rights communities, who expressed concern over [[freedom of expression in India|freedom of expression]] and the targeting of intellectuals for dissenting views.<ref name="c834">{{cite web | title=Indian professor arrested over social media post on military operation | website=Al Jazeera | date=2025-05-18 | url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/18/indian-professor-arrested-over-social-media-post-on-military-operation | access-date=2025-05-24}}</ref> The legal case reached India's highest court, which granted Ali bail but restrained him from further commenting on the [[2025 Pahalgam attack]] as well as Operation Sindoor. A three-member Special Investigation Team(SIT) has also been setup to look at the charges against him.<ref name='c835'>{{cite web | title=Ali Khan Mahmudabad versus State of Haryana | website=Supreme Court of India | date=2025-05-21 | url=https://api.sci.gov.in/supremecourt/2025/28254/28254_2025_2_38_61888_Order_21-May-2025.pdf | access-date=2025-06-01}}</ref> India's National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sent a notice to the Haryana Director General of Police regarding the arrest. The NHRC stated that the arrest appears to be a violation of Ali Khan Mahmudabad's human rights.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-06-10 |title=Haryana police yet to respond to notice over professor’s arrest: NHRC |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/haryana-police-yet-to-respond-to-notice-over-professors-arrest-nhrc/article69679733.ece |access-date=2025-06-12 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

== Works ==
Besides being a columnist for Sahāfat (Urdu newspaper)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sahafat.in|title=The Sahafat URDU Daily - India, Indian Newspapers, Urdu Newspaper India|website=www.sahafat.in|access-date=2017-11-12}}</ref> and [[Aalami Samay]] (Urdu magazine), Ali has also contributed to the following books:
* ''A Leaf Turns Yellow: the Sufis of Awadh:'' "Reliving a Sacrifice"'' '' <ref>{{Cite book|title=A Leaf Turns Yellow: the Sufis of Awadh|last=Khan|first=M. A. A.|publisher=Bloomsbury|year=2013|location=New Delhi}}</ref>
* ''Lucknow: a city between cultures:'' "Lucknow: a binding legacy"<ref>{{Cite book|title=Lucknow: a city between cultures|last=Khan|first=M. A. A.|publisher=Academic Press|year=2012|location=New Delhi}}</ref>
* ''The Shi‘a in Modern South Asian:'' "Local nodes of a trans-national network: a case study of a Shi‘i family in Awadh 1900- 1950"<ref name=":1" />
* ''Poetry of Belonging:'' Muslim Imaginings of India 1850–1950<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/reviews-recommendations/oxford-university-press-launches-poetry-of-belonging-muslim-imaginings-of-india-18501950|title = Oxford University Press launches 'Poetry of Belonging': Muslim Imaginings of India 1850–1950|date = 27 February 2020}}</ref>

His translation work includes:
* ''Break of Dawn'' , a translation of ''Aghaaz-e-Sahr'' by Khan Mahboob Tarzi

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mahmudabad, Ali Khan}}
[[Category:1982 births]]
[[Category:Scholars from Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian political scientists]]
[[Category:People from Sitapur district]]
[[Category:Indian columnists]]
[[Category:Indian historians of Islam]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian historians]]
[[Category:Occasional poets]]
[[Category:Samajwadi Party politicians from Uttar Pradesh]]

Ali Khan Mahmudabad - Revision history

N V Raghunath at 03:23, 28 March 2026