Sheikh Abdullah

Sheikh Abdullah (born Thakur Das; June 21, 1874 – March 1965), also known as Papa Mian, was an Indian educationalist, social reformer, lawyer, founder of Women's College, Aligarh and a member of the Executive Council of the Aligarh Muslim University who served to the post from 1920 to 1928. Later in 1902, he was appointed to the All India Muhammadan Educational Conference as a secretary for women's section. He is primarily known for his contribution to the Muslim women education during British India period.

Biography He was born as Thakur Das to Mehta Gurmukh Singh on June 21, 1874, in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. He originally belonged to Brahmin community of Kashmir. Das converted to Islam in 1891 after he went to Lahore for higher education. He married Waheed Jahan Begum (also known as Ala Bi), daughter of Mirza Mohammad Ibrahim in 1902, with whom he had six children, including five daughters and a son. One of his daughters, Mumtaz Jahan, served as Principal of the Women's College at Aligarh Muslim University for 30 years. Later when he went to United Province, he met with Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and adopted Sunni Islam, leaving the Ahmadiyya. The university's women's college, Abdullah College is named after him.

In 1975, a documentary titled Papa Miya of Aligarh, based on his life and directed by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas was released.

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