Durdana Ansari

Durdana Ansari OBE
Durdana Ansari
Born	(1960-03-01) 1 March 1960 (age 66) Bahawalpur, Pakistan
Education	Birkbeck, University of London
Notable credits	BBC The World Today BBC Outlook BBC Meridian BBC English Teaching Programme BBC Urdu Service
Children	4
Relatives	Asim Azhar (nephew) [1]

Durdana Ansari OBE (born 1 March 1960) ^{[2] [3]} is a British entrepreneur, public speaker and activist for female empowerment. ^[4] She is a former charity director, journalist, presenter and producer at the BBC World Service. ^[5]

Early life

Durdana Ansari was born in Bahawalpur, Pakistan, then grew up in Islamabad. She moved to London where she received her degree in media and journalism from Birkbeck University. ^[4]

Career

Ansari spent 22 years producing, directing, and interviewing for the BBC World Service. ^[6] She received an Order of the British Empire in 2012 for creating an economic development program for Muslim women. ^{[6] [2] [7]}

Her BBC programmes included The World Today (radio programme), Asian Network (Urdu), Outlook, Meridian, English Teaching Programme, and BBC Urdu Service.^{[ citation needed ]}

Ansari was appointed as an Honorary Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy in 2018, she was promoted in 2019 to Honorary Commander; ^[8] and once more in 2021 to Honorary Captain, becoming the first Muslim to reach the rank. ^[9]

Ansari established The Pearl Foundation to teach functional spoken English, reading, writing and computer skills to British-Muslim women. ^[10]

She also serves as a brand ambassador to Mirpur University of Science & Technology (MUST), the Swat Relief Initiative (SRI), and as a trustee for ‘Quest for Education’ (QFE). ^{[11] [12]}

Ansari has also participated in the Imran Khan Cancer Hospital, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Islamic Relief, and Helping Hands.^{[ citation needed ] [13]}

Personal life

Durdana has four children, 2 boys and 2 girls. Her first child, Amina Art Ansari, is an artist with paintings of the British royal family hanging in Windsor Castle. ^{[14] [15]}

Awards and honours

• 2012 Order of the British Empire (OBE) ^[16]
• 2018 Honorary Commander Royal Navy ^[4]
• 2021 Honorary Captain Royal Navy ^[9]

References

1. "Asim Azhar is proud of aunt for becoming Royal Navy captain". 14 July 2021.
2. "New Year honours list: OBEs". The Guardian. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
3. Din, Naya. "Meet the British Royal Navy's first Muslim honourary [sic] commander". SAMAA. Archived from the original on 17 January 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
4. "Durdana Ansari Appointed As First Muslim Commander In British Royal Navy". UK44. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
5. Farooq, Usman. "The Pakistan Achievement Awards, UK and Europe, 2014". eBuzz Today. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
6. London, My (31 December 2011). "Journalist made an OBE for services to Muslim women". My London News. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
7. Masood, Tooba (10 April 2012). "Pakistani journalist: Durdana Ansari, OBE, takes time out for Karachi over a cup of tea". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 11 April 2012.
8. "Navy News September 2018". Newspaper of the Royal Navy. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
9. "Durdana Ansari becomes first Muslim captain of the British Royal Navy". BOL News. 14 July 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
10. Usman, Maryam (17 November 2015). "Charity starts Pakistan operations". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
11. "Quest for Education Board of Trustees". Quest for Education. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
12. "Board Members". SWAT Relief Initiative. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
13. London, My (31 December 2011). "Journalist made an OBE for services to Muslim women". MyLondon. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
14. Yawari, Musa. "I take out anger and sadness through art". BBC News. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
15. "British Pakistani Artist Amna Ansari maker her mark in international arena". Times of Islamabad. 8 December 2019. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
16. Mirza, Qaiser (12 April 2012). "Durdana Ansari, recipient of OBE (Most Excellence Order of British Empire)". Siasat Pakistan. Retrieved 12 April 2012.