RomaineAchen489 at 20:54, 14 March 2026

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{{short description|Indian politician and independence activist (1890–1965)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Khwaja Khalil Ahmad Shah
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = 9 December 1890
| birth_place = Qazipura, [[Bahraich]], [[North-Western Provinces]], British India
| death_date = 1965
| death_place = Bahraich, [[Uttar Pradesh]], India
| other_names =
| occupation = Politician, social worker, and educationist
| known_for = Member of the Legislative Council of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, Contributions to Education and Social Development in Bahraich
| party = Indian National Congress
| spouse =
| children =
| father = Ahmad Shah

| alma_mater =
| notable_works = Fasādi Mullā yā Dushmanān-e-Islām kā Agent, Hindustan-e-Qadeem aur Islam (Hissa-e-Awwal)
| awards =
| office = Member of the Legislative Council of the [[United Provinces of Agra and Oudh]] (1927)
}}

'''Khwaja Khalil Ahmad Shah''' (9 December 1890 – 1965) was an Indian politician, social leader, freedom fighter, and writer. He served as a [[member of the Legislative Council]] of the [[United Provinces of Agra and Oudh]] in 1927. Associated with the [[Indian National Congress]], he was involved in initiatives for social and educational improvement in [[Bahraich]] and worked for the development of the region.

== Early life and education ==
Khwaja Khalil Ahmad Shah was born on 9 December 1890 in the Qazipura locality of [[Bahraich]]. His father, Ahmad Shah, was of Kashmiri origin, having migrated to Bahraich. Shah belonged to a respected family; one of his brothers, Khwaja Akbar Shah, was a barrister. Though not formally highly educated, Shah was known for his intellectual pursuits and maintained a personal library of rare and valuable books.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Bahraichi |first=Ibrat |url=https://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/detail/nufoos-e-raftagan-ibrat-bahraichi-ebooks |title=Nufoos-e-Raftagān |publisher=Ibrat Bahraichi |year=2007 |location=Bahraich, India |pages=25–26 |language=ur |trans-title=The Departed Souls |via=[[Rekhta (website)]]}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Noor |first=Junaid Ahmad |url=https://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/bahraich-ek-tareekhi-shahar-junaid-ahmad-noor-ebooks |title=Bahraich Ek Tarīkhi Sheher |publisher=Junaid Ahmad Noor |year=2019 |isbn=978-93-5351-047-3 |edition=1st |volume=1 |location=Bahraich, India |pages=187–188 |language=ur |trans-title=Bahraich: A Historic City |via=Rekhta (website)}}</ref>

== Career ==
Shah was an active member of the [[Indian National Congress]] and held close ties with leaders like [[Jawaharlal Nehru]].<ref name=":1"/><ref name=":2"/>

Shah was a [[member of the Legislative Council]] of the [[United Provinces of Agra and Oudh]] in 1927. His attendance and active participation in the 21 December 1927 session confirm his role. On 17 November 1927, he raised several questions in the council regarding audit objections, financial irregularities, and administrative affairs of the Bahraich District Board, reflecting his deep engagement with public issues.<ref name="biharvidhanmandal">{{Cite web |title=Bihar Vidhan Mandal: Browsing Archives |url=http://archives.biharvidhanmandal.in/jspui/browse?type=author&order=ASC&rpp=20&value=Shah,+Mr.Kwaja+Khalil+Ahmad |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241127102444/http://archives.biharvidhanmandal.in/jspui/browse?type=author&order=ASC&rpp=20&value=Shah%2C+Mr.Kwaja+Khalil+Ahmad |archive-date=27 November 2024 |access-date=27 November 2024 |website=archives.biharvidhanmandal.in}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=The Legislative Council Of The United Provinces |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.240693/page/n218/mode/1up |title=Proceedings of the Legislative Council of the United Provinces: Official Report |date=10–29 January 1927 |publisher=Government Press, United Provinces |volume=42 |location=Allahabad |page=183 |language=en}}</ref>

He was a prominent figure in the Indian independence movement. In 1941, he was sentenced to one year of rigorous imprisonment and fined 100 rupees under the [[Defence of India Act 1915]] for his participation in the [[Satyagraha|Individual Satyagraha]] movement. During the [[Quit India Movement]] in 1942, he was detained for nearly nine months under the same act.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/20241128_20241128_0547 |title=Svatantrata-Sangram Ke Sainik |publisher=Soochna Vibhag, Uttar Pradesh |year=1972 |editor-last=Singh |editor-first=Thakur Labh |location=[[Lucknow]] |page=6 |language=hi |trans-title=Freedom Struggle Soldiers}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Fikri |first=Syed Ibrahim |url=https://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/hindustani-musalmanon-ka-jang-e-azadi-mein-hissa-syed-ibrahim-fikri-ebooks |title=Hindustani Musalmanon ka Jang-e-Azadi mein Hissa |date=November 1996 |publisher=Syed Ibrahim Fikri |edition=1st |location=[[Jamia Nagar]], New Delhi |page=301 |language=ur |trans-title=The Contribution of Indian Muslims in the War of Independence}}</ref>

He was also a member of the committee managing the shrine of [[Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Masud]] and contributed to the establishment of [[Jamia Arabia Masoodia Noorul Uloom]], an Islamic educational institution in Bahraich. Additionally, he served on the [[Nagar Palika]] (Municipal Board) of Bahraich.<ref name="Ameer">{{cite book|last=Qasmi|first=Ameer Ahmad|title=Noorul Uloom Ke Darakhshinda Sitare|trans-title=The shining stars of Noorul Uloom|url=https://www.rekhta.org/ebooks/detail/noorul-uloom-ke-darakhshanda-sitare-ebooks|page=29|location=[[Bahraich]], India|publisher=Hafiz Zameer Ahmad|edition=1st |year=2011|language=ur}}</ref><ref name=":1"/><ref name=":2"/><ref>{{Cite book |author=Uttar Pradesh (India) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AxNFAQAAMAAJ&q=Khwaja+Khalil+Ahmad+Shah |title=Government Gazette |date=1959 |page=246 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Narayan |first=Badri |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8bJ_rhfu6yUC&dq=Khwaja+Khalil+Ahmad+Shah&pg=PA62 |title=Fascinating Hindutva: Saffron Politics and Dalit Mobilisation |date=2009-01-06 |publisher=SAGE Publications |isbn=978-81-7829-906-8 |page=62 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="biharvidhanmandal"/> It is also mentioned that he was the head, administrator, and guardian of the aforementioned shrine.{{Sfn|Rizwi|1980|p=345}}{{Sfn|Roohi|1969|p=11}}

== Literary works ==
Shah's works include:
* ''Fasādi Mullā yā Dushmanān-e-Islām kā Agent'' ({{translation|Troublemaking Clerics or Agents of the Enemies of Islam}})<ref name=":2"/><ref>{{Cite book |last=Rizwi |first=Syed Mehboob |translator= Murtaza Hussain F Qureshi|url=https://archive.org/details/2VolumeBookOnTheHistoryOfDarAlUlumDeoband |title=History of the Dar al-Ulum Deoband |publisher=Idara-e Ihtemam, [[Darul Uloom Deoband]] |year=1980 |volume=1 |location=UP, India |page=346 |language=en |oclc=20222197 |author-link=Syed Mehboob Rizwi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Roohi |first=Firozuddīn |url=https://archive.org/details/Aina-Sadaqat-114101/Aina-Sadaqat-114101-HQ/page/n9/mode/1up |title=Ā'īna-ī Ṣidāqat |publisher=Mu'āwiyah Book Depot |year=1969 |edition=2nd |location=[[Liaquatabad Town|Liaquatabad]], Karachi |page=11 |language=ur |trans-title=The Mirror of Truth}}</ref>
* ''Hindustan-e-Qadeem aur Islam (Hissa-e-Awwal)'' ({{translation|Ancient India and Islam (Part One)}})<ref>{{Cite web |title=Urdu Books of Khwaja Khaleel Ahmad Shah |url=https://www.rekhta.org/authors/khwaja-khaleel-ahmad-shah-1/ebooks |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=Rekhta |language=en}}</ref>

== Death and legacy ==
Shah died in 1965 and was buried in Chhadey Shah Takiya Cemetery near Azad Inter College, Bahraich. He is remembered for his contributions to communal harmony and education in Bahraich.<ref name=":1"/><ref name=":2"/>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:1890 births]]
[[Category:1965 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Politicians from British India]]
[[Category:Indian independence activists from Uttar Pradesh]]

Khwaja Khalil Ahmad Shah - Revision history

RomaineAchen489 at 20:54, 14 March 2026