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41-604: In 1905, Aga Khan III started the Aga Khan School in Mundra , the first school what later became a large network of schools, AKES. AKES currently operates more than 300 schools and advanced educational programmes that provide quality pre-school, primary, secondary, and higher secondary education services to more than 54,000 students in Pakistan , India , Bangladesh , Kenya , Uganda , Tanzania , and Tajikistan . AKES

82-606: A granddaughter of Fath Ali Shah of Persia . After attending Eton College , he studied at the University of Cambridge . In 1885, at the age of seven, he succeeded his father as Imam of the Shi'a Isma'ili Muslims. The Aga Khan travelled to distant parts of the world to receive the homage of his followers, with the objective either of settling differences or of advancing their welfare through financial help and personal advice and guidance. The distinction of Knight Commander of

123-934: Is also developing new schools in Kyrgyzstan and Madagascar and studying the feasibility of services and facilities in Mozambique . The existence of AKES in Pakistan dates back to the late 1940s, before the establishment of formal AKDN agencies. His Highness the Aga Khan's grandfather, Sir Sultan Mohamed Shah, created literacy centres for girls in remote villages situated in the Karakorum Mountains. Diamond Jubilee Schools for girls were established in Northern Pakistan and Chitral district in 1946 to commemorate Sir Sultan Mohamed Shah's sixty years as

164-653: Is carried live on Irish national television. He wrote a number of books and papers two of which are of immense importance, namely (1) India in Transition , about the prepartition politics of India and (2) The Memoirs of Aga Khan: World Enough and Time , his autobiography. The Aga Khan III proposed "the South Asiatic Federation " in India in Transition that India might be re-organized into some states, and those states should have own autonomies. He

205-515: The Aligarh movement . From a religious standpoint, the Aga Khan followed a modernist approach to Islam. He believed there to be no contradiction between religion and modernity, and urged Muslims to embrace modernity . Although he opposed a wholesale replication of Western society by Muslims, the Aga Khan did believe increased contact with the West would be overall beneficial to Muslim society. He

246-601: The British Raj . There were similarities in Aga Khan's views on education with those of other Muslim social reformers, but the scholar Shenila Khoja-Moolji argues that he also expressed a distinct interest in advancing women's education for women themselves. Aga Khan called on the British Raj to consider Muslims to be a separate nation within India, the famous ' Two Nation Theory '. Even after he resigned as president of

287-641: The German Emperor , the Sultan of Turkey , the Shah of Persia , and other potentates. In 1906, Aga Khan was a founding member and first president of the All India Muslim League , a political party that pushed for the creation of an independent Muslim nation in the north-west regions of India, then under British colonial rule , and later established the country of Pakistan in 1947. During

328-653: The Ismāʿīlī population on the continent resided, including Tanganyika , Kenya , Uganda , Madagascar , Rwanda, Burundi and Zaire , had attained their political independence. The Aga Khan was deeply influenced by the views of Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan . Along with Sir Sayyid, the Aga Khan was one of the backers and founders of the Aligarh University , for which he tirelessly raised funds and to which he donated large sums of his own money. The Aga Khan himself can be considered an Islamic modernist and an intellectual of

369-678: The Second World War , far-reaching social, economic and political changes profoundly affected a number of areas where Ismāʿīlīs resided. In 1947, British rule in the Indian Subcontinent was replaced by the sovereign, independent nations of India , Pakistan and later Bangladesh , resulting in the migration of millions people and significant loss of life and property. In the Middle East, the Suez crisis of 1956 as well as

410-584: The AIML in 1912, he still exerted a major influence on its policies and agendas. He was nominated to represent India at the League of Nations in 1932 and served as President of the 18th Assembly of The League of Nations (1937–1938). He was born in Karachi , Sindh (now in Pakistan ), in 1877 under the British Raj , to Aga Khan II (who had emigrated from Persia ) and his third wife, Nawab A'lia Shamsul-Muluk,

451-492: The Aga Khan III from London to Geneva and read it before the family: "Ever since the time of my ancestor Ali, the first Imam, that is to say over a period of thirteen hundred years, it has always been the tradition of our family that each Imam chooses his successor at his absolute and unfettered discretion from amongst any of his descendants, whether they be sons or remote male issue and in these circumstances and in view of

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492-673: The Aga Khan presented Her Majesty with a filly called Astrakhan , who won at Hurst Park Racecourse in 1950. In 1926, the Aga Khan gave a cup (the Aga Khan Trophy ) to be awarded to the winners of an international team show jumping competition held at the annual horse show of the Royal Dublin Society in Dublin, Ireland, every first week in August. It attracts competitors from all of the main show jumping nations and

533-509: The Aga Khan was involved in the Haji Bibi case , where he was questioned about the origin of his followers. In his response, in addition to enumerating his followers in Iran, Russia, Afghanistan, Central Asia, Syria and other places, he also noted that “In Hindustan and Africa there are many Guptis who believe in me… I consider them Shi’i Imami Ismailis ; by caste they are Hindus ”. Following

574-519: The Aga Khan's reforms, the Ismāʿīlī community is one of the most progressive, peaceful, and prosperous branches of Islam. He was an owner of Thoroughbred racing horses, including a record equaling five winners of The Derby ( Blenheim , Bahram , Mahmoud , My Love , Tulyar ) and a total of sixteen winners of British Classic Races . He was a British flat racing Champion Owner thirteen times. According to Ben Pimlott , biographer of Queen Elizabeth II ,

615-718: The Diamond Jubilee Investment Trust (now Diamond Trust of Kenya) and the Jubilee Insurance Company, which are quoted on the Nairobi Stock Exchange and have become major players in national development. Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah also introduced organisational reforms that gave Ismāʿīlī communities the means to structure and regulate their own affairs. These were built on the Muslim tradition of a communitarian ethic on

656-494: The Hindu community in terms of education. According to him, education was the path to progress. He was a tireless advocate for compulsory and universal primary education, and also for the creation of higher institutions of learning. In terms of women's rights, the Aga Khan was more progressive in his views than Sir Sayyid and many other Islamic modernists of his time. The Aga Khan framed his pursuit of women's rights not simply in

697-601: The Indian Empire (KCIE) was conferred upon him by Queen Victoria in 1897, and he was promoted to Knight Grand Commander (GCIE) in the 1902 Coronation Honours list and invested as such by King Edward VII at Buckingham Palace on October 24, 1902. He was made a Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India (GCSI) by George V (1912) and appointed a GCMG in 1923. He received recognition for his public services from

738-754: The Indian Subcontinent and in East Africa. Ismailis have marked the jubilees of their Imāms with public celebrations, which are symbolic affirmations of the ties that link the Ismāʿīlī Imām and its followers. Although the Jubilees have no religious significance, they serve to reaffirm the Imamat's worldwide commitment to the improvement of the quality of human life, especially in developing countries. The jubilees of Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah, Aga Khan III, are well remembered. During his 72 years of Imamat (1885–1957),

779-774: The RCC programme. Home visits under RCC helped reduce absenteeism and increase enrolment in schools. It was also reported that the programme has generally increased enrolment and children's interests in school. Data have also shown that 90% of children that have participated in RCC have gone on to grade one of elementary school. The early childhood education programme, available across the AKES network, emphasises "child initiated learning". Children are encouraged to plan and construct their own learning, thereby retaining their natural self-confidence. There are more than 240 schools running under Aga Khan Education Services. These schools are located across

820-456: The children in the region enrolled in primary schools and a significant number of them are girls. The program 'Releasing Confidence and Creativity (RCC): Building Sound Foundations for Early Learning in Pakistan', is being implemented in 100 government schools in Sindh and Balochistan, Pakistan. The programme focuses on early childhood development. The programme aims to enhance the development of

861-540: The community celebrated his Golden (1937), Diamond (1946), and Platinum (1954) Jubilees. To show their appreciation and affection, the Ismā'īliyya weighed their Imam in gold, diamonds, and, symbolically, platinum, respectively, the proceeds of which were used to further develop major social welfare and development institutions in Asia and Africa. In India and later in Pakistan , social development institutions were established, in

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902-562: The context of women being better mothers or wives, but rather, for women's own benefit. He endorsed the spiritual equality of men and women in Islam, and he also called for full political equality. This included the right to vote and the right to an education. In regards to the latter issue, he endorsed compulsory primary education for girls. He also encouraged women to pursue higher university-level education, and saw nothing wrong with co-educational institutions. Whereas Sir Sayyid prioritized

943-763: The education of boys over girls, the Aga Khan instructed his followers that if they had a son and daughter, and if they could only afford to send one of them to school, they should send the daughter over the boy. The Aga Khan campaigned against the institution of purda and zenāna , which he felt were oppressive and un-Islamic institutions. He completely banned the purda and the face veil for his Ismāʿīlī followers. The Aga Khan also restricted polygamy, encouraged marriage to widows, and banned child marriage. He also made marriage and divorce laws more equitable to women. Overall, he encouraged women to take part in all national activities and to agitate for their full religious, social, and political rights. Today, in large part due to

984-577: The fundamentally altered conditions in the world in very recent years due to the great changes which have taken place including the discoveries of atomic science, I am convinced that it is in the best interest of the Shia Muslim Ismailia Community that I should be succeeded by a young man who has been brought up and developed during recent years and in the midst of the new age and who brings a new outlook on life to his office as Imam. For these reasons, I appoint my grandson Karim ,

1025-595: The globe in following countries Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Kenya, Kyrgyz Republic, Uganda, Tanzania andTajikistan. These schools include pre-primary, primary, secondary and higher secondary schools. These schools have banner names of Diamond Jubilee schools, Aga Khan Schools and Aga Khan Higher Secondary Schools. Aga Khan III Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah ( Arabic : سلطان محمد شاه , romanized :  Sulṭān Muḥammad Shāh ; 2 November 1877 – 11 July 1957), known as Aga Khan III ( Persian : آقا خان سوم , romanized :  Āqā Khān Suwwūm ),

1066-724: The greatest confidence. I warn my successor to the Imamat, never to do anything during his Imamat that would reduce the responsibility of the Imam for the maintenance of the true Shia Imami Ismaili faith, as developed historically from the time of my ancestor Ali, the founder until my own." He is buried in the Mausoleum of Aga Khan , on the Nile in Aswan , Egypt (at 24°05′18″N 32°52′43″E  /  24.088254°N 32.878722°E  / 24.088254; 32.878722 ). Pakistan Post issued

1107-616: The latter of which he understood in a modernist way to mean consensus-building. According to him, Muslims should go back to the original sources, especially the Qurʾān , in order to discover the true essence and spirit of Islam. Once the principles of the faith were discovered, they would be seen to be universal and modern. Islam, in his view, had an underlying liberal and democratic spirit. He also called for full civil and religious liberties, peace and disarmament, and an end to all wars. The Aga Khan opposed sectarianism , which he believed to sap

1148-744: The one hand and a responsible individual conscience with the freedom to negotiate one's own moral commitment and destiny on the other. In 1905, he ordained the first Ismā'īlī Constitution for the social governance of the community in East Africa. The new administration for the community's affairs was organised into a hierarchy of councils at the local, national, and regional levels. The constitution also set out rules in such matters as marriage, divorce, and inheritance, guidelines for mutual cooperation and support among Ismā'īlīs, and their interface with other communities. Similar constitutions were promulgated in India, and all were periodically revised to address emerging needs and circumstances in diverse settings. In 1905,

1189-408: The preceding crisis in Iran, demonstrated the sharp upsurge of nationalism, which was as indicative of the region's social and economic aspirations as of its political independence. Africa was also set on its course to decolonisation , swept by what Harold Macmillan , the then British prime minister, termed the "wind of change". By the early 1960s, most of East and Central Africa, where the majority of

1230-572: The programmes they have implemented is the Northern Pakistan Education Programme in 1997, a joint partnership between AKES and the European Commission. The programme had helped to increase accessibility of primary and secondary education by funding schools to help them increase their intake of students, with 60% of the new vacancies going to girls as instructed. The programme ended in 2008, with 80% of

1271-525: The son of my own son, Aly Salomone Khan to succeed to the title of Aga Khan and to the Imam and Pir of all Shia Ismailian followers. I desire that my successor shall, during the first seven years of his Imamat, be guided on questions of general Imamat Policy, by my said wife, Yvette called Yve Blanche Labrousse Om Habibeh, the Begum Aga Khan, who has been familiar for many years with the problems facing my followers, and in whose wise judgment, I place

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1312-723: The spiritual leader of the Ismaili community. The AKES has helped to provide easy access to education in remote areas of Pakistan, with special emphasis given to the education of girls in the northern areas. As of 2007, AKES operates 191 schools with 37,285 students enrolled. It believes that all children should have access to good schools, teachers and learning resources. Most of the Aga Khan Schools in Pakistan provide pre-school, primary and secondary education. AKES implements or funds education programmes aimed at improving access and quality of primary and secondary education. One of

1353-496: The staff and expansion of participation of parents and communities in their children's education. RCC also creates incentives and innovative models for investing in the school in order to improve the physical and learning environment. Lastly, it encourages community mobilisation and training to increase participation of parents, communities, NGOs and private sector in public schools. According to an evaluation report done by USAID, children involved in RCC have expressed that they enjoyed

1394-410: The strength and unity of the Muslim community. In specific, he called for a rapprochement between Sunnism and Shīʿism . This did not mean that he thought religious differences would go away, and he himself instructed his Ismāʿīlī followers to be dedicated to their own teachings. However, he believed in unity through accepting diversity, and by respecting differences of opinion. On his view, there

1435-573: The three Round Table Conferences (India) in London from 1930 to 1932, he played an important role in bringing about Indian constitutional reforms. In 1934, he was made a member of the Privy Council Under the leadership of Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah, Aga Khan III, the first half of the 20th century was a period of significant development for the Ismā'īlī community. Numerous institutions for social and economic development were established in

1476-559: The time of the Golden Jubilee to give assistance to needy students, were progressively expanded. In East Africa, major social welfare and economic development institutions were established. Those involved in social welfare included the accelerated development of schools and community centres and a modern, fully equipped hospital in Nairobi . Among the economic development institutions established in East Africa were companies such as

1517-479: The words of Aga Khan III, "for the relief of humanity". They included institutions such as the Diamond Jubilee Trust and Platinum Jubilee Investments Limited, which in turn assisted the growth of various types of cooperative societies. Diamond Jubilee High School for Girls was established throughout the remote northern areas of what is now Pakistan. In addition, scholarship programmes, established at

1558-510: Was intellectually open to Western philosophy and ideas, and believed engagement with them could lead to a revival and renaissance within Islamic thought. Like many other Islamic modernists, the Aga Khan held a low opinion of the traditional religious establishment (the ʿUlamāʾ ) as well as what he saw as their rigid formalism, legalism, and literalism. Instead, he advocated for renewed ijtihād (independent reasoning) and ijmāʿ (consensus),

1599-399: Was strength to be found in the diversity of Muslim traditions. The Aga Khan called for social reform in Muslim society, and he was able to implement them within his own Ismāʿīlī community. As he believed Islam to essentially be a humanitarian religion, the Aga Khan called for the reduction and eradication of poverty. Like Sir Sayyid, the Aga Khan was concerned that Muslims had fallen behind

1640-636: Was the 48th imam of the Nizari Ism'aili branch of Shia Islam. He was one of the founders and the first permanent president of the All-India Muslim League (AIML). His goal was the advancement of Muslim agendas and the protection of Muslim rights in British India. The League, until the late 1930s, was not a large organisation but represented landed and commercial Muslim interests as well as advocating for British education during

1681-575: Was the first person who designed a detailed plan of such a federation of India. Aga Khan III was succeeded as Aga Khan by his grandson Karim Aga Khan , who is the present Imam of the Ismaili Muslims. At the time of his death on 11 July 1957, he was surrounded by his family members in Versoix . His last words were repeating the verses of the Koran. On July 12, a solicitor brought the will of

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