Mai Bakhtawar Shaheed

Mai Bakhtawar Lashari Baloch (1880 - 22 June 1947) was a peasant from the village Dodo Khan Sargani, near Roshanabad in Umerkot, Tando Bago Tehsil, Badin District in Sindh. Growing up in rural Sindh under British rule, she faced the challenges of poverty in a deeply patriarchal society. Despite these obstacles, she courageously stood up against the injustices inflicted by local landlords. Her resistance ultimately led to her murder at the hands of a landlord and his men, marking her as a symbol of defiance against oppression.

Life She was the only child of Murad Khan Lashari, who named her Mai Bakhtawar, meaning 'fortunate woman' or 'lucky woman'. In 1898, Mai Bakhtawar married Wali Mohammad Lashari, who worked as a peasant in the lands of a landed aristocrat. thumb

Sindh Hari Committee The Sindh Hari Committee, founded in 1930, became one of the leading organisations for peasant rights in Sindh. Its main aim was to challenge the power of large landlords and secure fair land rights for haris (tenant farmers). After World War II, when rural poverty in Sindh deepened, Hyder Bux Jatoi resigned from the Indian Civil Service and devoted himself fully to the movement. Known as Baba-e-Sindh (Father of Sindh), he transformed the Hari Committee from a small group into a mass platform, giving thousands of peasants a political voice. a bold act in an era and region where even men were often too fearful to challenge the landlords for their rights.

Following Mai Bakhtawar’s murder on 22 June 1947, Hyder Bux Jatoi and the Sindh Hari Committee mobilised peasants and organised protests to ensure the case was not silenced. Jatoi’s campaign pressured the authorities to prosecute the landlord responsible, leading to the conviction and imprisonment of several men. This rare act of accountability against zamindars became a symbol of justice for peasants and strengthened the demand for tenancy reform. or something else. First cadet college for girls in Shaheed Benazirabad was also named after Mai Bakhtawar. Government of Sindh has named Bakhtawar on concerned Union Council of Kunri Taluka Two schools are also named after her. Government and non government organizations are awarding their best performance awards on the name of Mai Bakhatawar Lashari Shaheed.

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