Saba Ali Khan Pataudi (born 1 May 1976) is an Indian jewelry designer and mutawalli (Chief Trustee) of the Auqaf-e-Shahi (Royal Trust), established by the-then ‘Princely State’ of the Kingdom of Bhopal as a royal charitable endowment. She is the elder daughter of actress Sharmila Tagore and former India cricket captain Mansoor Ali Khan, Crown Prince of Bhopal, and the sister of actors Saif Ali Khan and Soha Ali Khan.[1][2]
| Saba Ali Khan | |
|---|---|
| Princess of Bhopal Princess of Pataudi | |
| Born | Saba Ali Khan Pataudi 1 May 1976 New Delhi, India |
| House | House of Pataudi-Bhopal |
| Father | Mansoor Ali Khan |
| Mother | Sharmila Tagore |
| Occupation | Jewelry designer |
Family background
editKhan, a member of the Pataudi family of Pashtun (Afghan) ancestry, is the daughter of cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and actress Sharmila Tagore.[3] Khan is the sister of actors, Saif Ali Khan and Soha Ali Khan. Actress Sara Ali Khan is her niece, while actress Kareena Kapoor Khan is her sister-in-law.[4][5]
Khan is the granddaughter of Sajida Begum, the Nawab Begum of Bhopal, and Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, the Nawab of Pataudi.[6] Her great-grandfather, Hamidullah Khan, succeeded the throne of Bhopal, after a long reign of royal queens. The titular Begum of Bhopal, Saleha Sultan, was her aunt, and through her she is the first cousin of cricketer, Saad Bin Jung. Major General of Pakistan Sher Ali Khan Pataudi is her great-granduncle, and the diplomat Shahryar Khan is her uncle, through her grandaunt Abida Sultan.[7][8]
Auqaf-e-Shahi
editThe Auqaf-e-Shahi is a charitable trust that was endowed by the royal family of the Kingdom of the State of Bhopal. The trust manages a portfolio worth Rs 1200 crore, consisting mainly of real estate (both, religious and otherwise) in Bhopal, apart from properties in Mecca as well as Medina in Saudi Arabia.[9] As a convention, a family member of the ruler of the state of Bhopal, or the ruler himself, was the mutawalli, the chief trustee who managed the assets of the trust for philanthropic purposes. Indian cricket captain Mansoor Ali Khan, who was the titular Nawab of Bhopal and Pataudi was the mutawalli till his death in 2011. Saba served under her father as naib mutawalli (Deputy Trustee) before taking over the reigns after his demise, while her brother Saif Ali Khan inherited the titular titles of the Nawab of Bhopal and Pataudi, and the respective estates.[1]
Mansoor Ali Khan reportedly did not think of his son as a possible mutawalli, conscious that a film actor's appointment as head of islamic religious bodies may not go down well with certain sections.[9]
In her tenure as the mutawalli, Auqaf-e-Shahi has acquired certain additional properties in Mecca. In 2016, she announced that the Waqf tribunal has declared that 34 acres of land around the Shahi Qabristan in Bhopal belonged to Auqaf-e-Shahi, and the same would be monetised with the proceeds going to improve the educational and health institutions of Bhopal.[10]
References
edit- ^ a b "Pataudi's daughter takes over as Bhopal Auqaf-e-Shahi head - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2019-02-01.
- ^ "Meet Saba Ali Khan – Saif Ali Khan and Soha's lesser-known sibling". The Times of India. 18 February 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- ^ "Tiger Pataudi's romance with Sharmila to air on Rendezvous with Simi Garewal in his memory". India Today. Archived from the original on 27 February 2022. Retrieved 2011-10-13.
- ^ "To Saif with love: Soha & Saba". Rediff.com. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
- ^ "Sara Ali Khan's aunt Saba Ali Khan upset with actor's fanpage, vows never to share her baby pics again". Hindustan Times. 16 July 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- ^ Pathak, Rohan (16 March 2017). "5 Facts You Need to Know About Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi". The Quint. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- ^ "Begums of Bhopal: 107 Years of Golden Reign". INDIAN CULTURE. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- ^ Bin Jung, Saad (20 November 2012). Subhan and I: My Adventures with Angling Legend of India. New Delhi: Roli Books. ISBN 9789351940326.
- ^ a b "A crown beckons a princess - Effort on to anoint Saba head of shrines and royal properties". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 2019-02-01.
- ^ Pioneer, The. "Auqaf-e-Shahi acquires building in Makkah". The Pioneer. Retrieved 2019-02-01.