Nyla Ali Khan

Last updated

Nyla Ali Khan
Nyla Ali Khan 3.jpg
Born (1972-04-28) 28 April 1972 (age 52)
New Delhi, India
Academic work
EraModern
Notable works
  • The Fiction of Nationality in an Era of Transnationalism
  • Islam, Women, and Violence in Kashmir: Between Indian and Pakistan

Nyla Ali Khan is an adjunct professor at Oklahoma City Community College. [1] She is a former Visiting Professor at the University of Oklahoma, Norman, [2] and former Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska-Kearney. [3] She is the author of four books, and several articles that focus on the political issues and strife of her homeland, Jammu and Kashmir, India. She is the granddaughter of Sheikh Abdullah.

Contents

Biography

Khan was born in New Delhi, India. Her family is based in Jammu and Kashmir, India, and she was raised there in the Kashmir Valley located in the foothills of the Himalayas. Her mother, Suraiya Abdullah Ali, is a retired professor of literature, and her father, Mohammad Ali Matto, was a retired physician. She is the only child of Suraiya Abdullah Ali and Mohammad Ali Matto—and the granddaughter of Sheikh Abdullah. As per her grandfather's biography, her great great grandfather was a Sapru Brahmin who converted to Islam in the 19th century. [4] [5] [6] She did her master's degree in English at the University of Oklahoma, focusing on postcolonial literature and theory and obtained her Ph.D. at the same institution.

In May 2015, Khan was the first Kashmiri woman to be nominated and accepted as a member of the advisory council for the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women. [7] The council serves "as a resource and clearinghouse for research and information on issues related to women and gender bias, to act as an advisory entity on equity issues to state agencies, communities, organizations and businesses of the state, and to establish recommendations for action to improve the quality of life for Oklahoma women, children and families." [7]

Of her notable grandfather, Khan stated in a 2010 interview that she prefers not to simply live in his shadow but to "stand up for myself and be taken seriously ... express my anger without being labeled an 'Islamic militant' ... [and] legitimately question things I don't understand". [8] [9] [10]

Publications

Books

In her first book, The Fiction of Nationality in an Era of Transnationalism, she "examines the writings of V.S. Naipaul, Salman Rushdie, Amitav Ghosh, and Anita Desai, all four living abroad to explain the aberrant behaviour of emigres from the Indian subcontinent to explain why they support religious fundamentalist groups in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh." [11] In doing so, she strives to provide an objective view of how transnationalism can distort impressions of reality. In reviewing her book, Khushwant Singh notes that the transnational subjects examined by Dr. Khan "having settled abroad, [...] develop an exaggerated sense of belonging, swallow fabricated history of their glorious pasts and despite having no intention of returning to the lands of their nativity give emotional and monetary support to subversive elements." [11]

In her second book, Islam, Women, and Violence in Kashmir: Between Indian and Pakistan, she examines women in Islam in "the first th[o]rough study of the tragedy of Kashmir done by a Kashmiri woman." [13] "Khan uses the analytical tools of postmodern, feminist criticism to understand and highlight the role--passive and active--that women have played in Kashmir's history, ranging from the 14th century Lal Ded, a mystic poet who laid the foundations of Kashmir's syncretic culture, to the present day Parveena Ahangar who represents the Association of the Parents of the Disappeared People." [14] Interspersed within are oral histories from women who serve to defend Kashmir from invasion, women who had previously been long ignored. [14]

She undertakes the role of editor in a third book, The Parchment of Kashmir: History, Society, and Polity. The book presents a collection of essays by Kashmiri academics who are "well-known, well-established, and well-respected within Kashmiri society", but who haven't had much opportunity to reach an audience outside of Kashmir and outside of South Asia. [17]

Her fourth book, The Life of a Kashmiri Woman: Dialectic of Resistance and Accommodation examines the life of her grandmother, Akbar Jehan "paint[ing] a loving and personal picture of a powerful woman whose role and actions gave Kashmir a model for women's political action in the critical period before and after the partition of India in 1947." [21]

She has recently been working as an editor for a publication on the region of Jammu and Kashmir with Oxford Islamic Studies Online, [24] which has been recruiting guest editors for projects that examine the "politics, religious practices, economics, women’s and minorities’ rights, geography, arts and culture, [and] major figures" of various Islamic regions. They will be including a featured article by her and plan to expand upon their partnership to provide additional materials to promote education and scholarship about the region. [25]

Khan's latest book, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s Reflections on Kashmir, is a compendium of the speeches and interviews of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, who reigned as prime minister of the State of Jammu and Kashmir from 1948 to 1953, and who was a large presence on the political landscape of India for fifty years. The volume is designed to enable a student of South Asian politics, and the politics of Kashmir in particular, to analyze the ways in which experiences have been constructed historically and have changed overtime. [26]

Book chapters

Related Research Articles

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All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) is an alliance of 26 political, social and religious organizations formed on 9 March 1993, as a united political front to raise the cause of Kashmiri independence in the Kashmir conflict. Mehmood Ahmed Saghar was the first convener of the APHC-PAK chapter when the alliance was established in 1993. The alliance has historically been viewed positively by Pakistan as it contests the claim of the Indian government over the State of Jammu and Kashmir. The organisation is split into two main factions, those being the Mirwaiz and Geelani factions. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is the founder and chairman of Mirwaiz faction and Masarat Alam Bhat is the interim chairman of Geelani faction, who succeeded Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the founder of the faction after his death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ram Chandra Kak</span> Indian politician

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheikh Abdullah</span> Indian politician and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir (1905–1982)

Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah was an Indian politician who played a central role in the politics of Jammu and Kashmir. Abdullah was the founding leader of the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference and the 1st elected Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir after its accession to India. He agitated against the rule of the Maharaja Hari Singh and urged self-rule for Kashmir. He is also known as Sher-e-Kashmir.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front</span> Kashmiri separatist organization

The Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) is a formerly armed, political separatist organisation active in both the Indian-administered and Pakistani-administered territories of Kashmir. It was founded by Amanullah Khan, with Maqbool Bhat also credited as a co-founder. Originally a militant wing of the Azad Kashmir Plebiscite Front, the organization officially changed its name to the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front in Birmingham, England on 29 May 1977; from then until 1994 it was an active Kashmiri militant organization. The JKLF first established branches in several cities and towns of the United Kingdom and other countries in Europe, as well as in the United States and across the Middle East. In 1982, it established a branch in the Pakistani-administered territory of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and by 1987, it had established a branch in the Indian-administered Kashmir Valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kashmir conflict</span> Territorial conflict in South Asia

The Kashmir conflict is a territorial conflict over the Kashmir region, primarily between India and Pakistan, and also between China and India in the northeastern portion of the region. The conflict started after the partition of India in 1947 as both India and Pakistan claimed the entirety of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is a dispute over the region that escalated into three wars between India and Pakistan and several other armed skirmishes. India controls approximately 55% of the land area of the region that includes Jammu, the Kashmir Valley, most of Ladakh, the Siachen Glacier, and 70% of its population; Pakistan controls approximately 30% of the land area that includes Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan; and China controls the remaining 15% of the land area that includes the Aksai Chin region, the mostly uninhabited Trans-Karakoram Tract, and part of the Demchok sector.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mian Iftikharuddin</span> Pakistani politician

Mian Iftikharuddin was a Pakistani politician, activist of the Indian National Congress, who later joined the All-India Muslim League and worked for the cause of Pakistan under the leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He was known for his left-wing politics and briefly served as the Provincial Minister for Rehabiilitation of Refugees in Punjab.

The following is a timeline of the Kashmir conflict, a territorial conflict between India, Pakistan and, to a lesser degree, China. India and Pakistan have been involved in four wars and several border skirmishes over the issue.

The Indira–Sheikh Accord, also known as the Indira–Abdullah Accord, was an accord between Indira Gandhi, the then prime minister of India, and Sheikh Abdullah, leader of the Plebiscite Front. The accord decided the terms under which Abdullah would reenter the politics of Kashmir. It allowed Abdullah to become the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir again after 22 years and enabled competitive politics in the State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohammad Abbas Ansari</span> Kashmiri political leader (1936–2022)

Mohammad Abbas Ansari was a separatist political leader and a well known Shia Muslim scholar, reformer, preacher and cleric from Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. He was known for his religious lectures and as a Kashmiri separatist, ex-chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, also founder and chairman of the Ittihadul Muslimeen also known as Jammu & Kashmir Ittihadul Muslimeen (JKIM), a Kashmiri nationalist Shia separatist political party which aims for Shi'a–Sunni unity in Kashmir & independence of Jammu and Kashmir from India through peaceful struggle. He is considered a moderate and has called for an end to violence in that region. He is Succeeded by his son Maulana Masroor Abbas Ansari.

Mohammad Ishaq Khan was a Kashmiri academic and historian of Kashmir. He served as the dean of academics, dean of faculty of social sciences, prosessor and head of department of history at Kashmir University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mirza Afzal Beg</span> Indian politician (1929–1982)

Mirza Mohammad Afzal Beg was a Kashmiri politician who served as the first deputy chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir from 1975 to 1977 and was a member of Constituent Assembly of India from 1946 to 1952. Beg held a ministerial position in the pre-independence government of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir from 1945 to 1947 and later served as the Revenue minister in the post-independence government led by Sheikh Abdullah from 1948 to 1953.

Chaudhry Ghulam Abbas was a leading politician of Jammu and Kashmir and the President of the Muslim Conference party. After his migration to Pakistan administered Kashmir in 1947, he became the head of the Azad Kashmir (AJK) government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amanullah Khan (JKLF)</span> Kashmiri separatist, founder of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front

Amanullah Khan was the founder of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), a Kashmiri militant activist group that advocates independence for the entire Kashmir region. Khan's JKLF initiated the ongoing armed insurgency in Indian-administered Kashmir with backing from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, which lasted until Pakistan dropped its support of secular Kashmiri separatists in favour of pro-Pakistan Islamist groups, such as the Hizbul Mujahideen. In 1994, the JKLF in the Kashmir Valley, under the leadership of Yasin Malik, renounced militancy in favour of a political struggle. Amanullah Khan disagreed with the strategy, causing a split in the JKLF.

The following is a timeline of the Kashmir conflict during the period 1846–1946.

Under Dogra rule, people in the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir launched several political movements. Despite ideological differences and varying goals they aimed to improve the status of Muslims in a state ruled by a Hindu dynasty.

Mirwaiz Muhammad Yusuf Shah was a religious leader and politician in the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir during the British Raj. He served as the Imam of the Jama Masjid in Srinagar, a position that is also known as the "Mirwaiz of Kashmir". He relegated the majority of his political career to opposing the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference of Sheikh Abdullah, including siding with Pakistan during the First Kashmir War. He moved to Azad Kashmir and eventually served as the president of Azad Kashmir.

Women's rights in Jammu and Kashmir is a major issue. Belonging to a patriarchal society, they have had to fight inequality and routine discrimination. Women's rights in Kashmir Valley has major issues as there is harassment of young muslim women participating in sports activities, demands of dowry after marriage, domestic violence incidents, acid attacks on women, and men being generally taken in a higher regard than women. Many small organisations have been formed to struggle for women's rights in Jammu and Kashmir.

The first election for a legislative assembly called Praja Sabha was held in 1934 in the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir in the British Indian Empire. The Praja Sabha was to have 75 members, of which 12 would be officials, 33 elected members and 30 nominated members. The election was held on 3 September 1934. The All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference under the leadership of Sheikh Abdullah was the largest elected party with 16 seats won. A 'Liberal Group' championed by the Dogra Sadar Sabha had the overall majority in the Assembly with 24 members.

Sampat Prakash Kundu was a Kashmiri nationalist, trade unionist and activist, known for his efforts in fighting for the rights and welfare of the working class. He played a significant role in shaping trade union activism in the region, advocating for the equitable treatment of government employees, teachers, and workers. Kundu has held several leadership positions, including Chairman of the J&K Trade Union Centre, State President of Hind Mazdoor Sabha, and State President of Retired Gazetted/Non-Gazetted Employees.

References

  1. ↑ "OCCC's Dr. Nyla Khan Trying To Help Students Who Have Been Traumatized Succeed".
  2. ↑ "University of Oklahoma website". Archived from the original on 24 August 2010. Retrieved 12 August 2010.
  3. ↑ "University of Nebraska Board of Regents Board of Regents Meeting Itinerary" (PDF). nebraska.edu. 4 September 2009. p. 161. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  4. ↑ Mohammad Abdullah (Sheikh) (1993). Flames of the Chinar: An Autobiography. Viking. ISBN   978-0-670-85318-2.
  5. ↑ Syed Taffazull Hussain (13 July 2019). Sheikh Abdullah-A Biography: The Crucial Period 1905-1939. 2019 Edition. Syed Taffazull Hussain. ISBN   978-1-60481-603-7.
  6. ↑ Ajit Bhattacharjea (2008). Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah: Tragic Hero of Kashmir. Lotus collection/Roli Books. ISBN   9788174366719.
  7. 1 2 "Business spotlight".
  8. ↑ Epilogue (26 January 2010). "Epilogue Magazine -Jammu and Kashmir: Interview with Nyla Ali Khan".
  9. ↑ November 2009 Vol 3 Issue 12 p 38-41
  10. ↑ December 2009 Vol 3 Issue 12 p 27-30
  11. 1 2 Singh, Khushwant (2 September 2006). "Reap what you sow". The Tribune. India. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  12. ↑ "South Asian Review, Vol. XXVII, No. 1 (2006): 274-275". Archived from the original on 30 October 2010. Retrieved 12 August 2010.
  13. 1 2 "UNK - 'Islam, Women, and Violence in Kashmir: Between India and Pakistan' Focus of New Book by UNK's Dr. Nyla Ali Khan".
  14. 1 2 3 "Blood and tears".
  15. ↑ Hull, B. (2013). "Islam, Women, and Violence in Kashmir: Between India and Pakistan". Genre. 46: 103–105. doi:10.1215/00166928-1722953.
  16. ↑ "Journal of International Women's Studies | Journals and Campus Publications | Bridgewater State University".
  17. ↑ "Latest news, comments and reviews from the Gulf Today | gulftoday.ae".
  18. ↑ Jaisingh, Hari (2013). "Understanding facets of a complex syndrome" (PDF). harijaisingh.info. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  19. ↑ "Infi" (PDF). pakistaniaat.org. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  20. ↑ "The parchment of Kashmir: History, society, and polity".
  21. ↑ "Palgrave".
  22. ↑ "Tale of a Formidable Matriarch". Archived from the original on 15 December 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  23. ↑ "A woman's journey in Kashmiri politics". 19 April 2015.
  24. ↑ "Oxford Islamic Studies Online - Oxford Islamic Studies Online". Archived from the original on 4 July 2008.
  25. ↑ "Oxford Islamic Studies Online (announcement) «".
  26. ↑ Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah's Reflections on Kashmir | Nyla Ali Khan | Palgrave Macmillan.
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