Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah


Fatima Jinnah was born in 1893. When the Jinnahs lost their father in 1901, Fatima came under the guardianship of her older brother. Encouraged by her brother, she completed her education, living in a hostel while attending Dr Ahmad Dental College. In 1923, at a time when taking up a profession was considered inappropriate for girls from Muslim families, Fatima Jinnah opened her own dental practice in Calcutta. She had the full support of her brother, yet faced opposition from the rest of the family. When Quaid-e-Azam’s wife, Rutti Jinnah, passed away leaving behind a daughter, Fatima Jinnah gave up her practice and went to live with her brother taking charge of the house and her young niece. Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah, popularly known and acclaimed as Mader-e-Millat (Mother of the Nation), resolutely stood side by side with them. The bold and committed women made relentless efforts and went from house to house to raise funds for the Pakistan Movement to prepare and encourage the people to make sacrifice for attainment of Pakistan and attract the world attention towards their great independence struggle.