Razia Sultan To Atishi - The Saga Of Women Rulers Of Delhi

While Razia Sultan, the first female Muslim ruler of the subcontinent, is largely overlooked and her final resting place remains a subject of debate, Atishi's appointment to the same position highlights the progress made in women’s leadership in Delhi

There is a certain similarity between the quiet of a narrow alley in Bulbuli Khana, just a short distance from the crowded Turkman Gate, and the hustle and bustle in the residence of Delhi's former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in Civil Lines. The distance between these two places is no more than six to seven kilometers. In Kejriwal's official residence, the Aam Aadmi Party unanimously chose its leader Atishi as the new Chief Minister of Delhi. On the other hand, in the small, enclosed complex of Bulbuli Khana, Razia Sultan lies in eternal sleep. The condition of the place suggests that hardly anyone comes to pay respects at the tomb of Razia Sultan, who ruled Delhi between 1236-1240. She was the first female Muslim ruler of the subcontinent.

A stone plaque here states that Razia Sultan was the daughter of Iltutmish, the prominent ruler of the Slave Dynasty in the Delhi Sultanate. Iltutmish had appointed her as his successor before his death. He did not see the strength to rule Delhi in any of his sons. “Except for some research scholars, I have hardly seen anyone visiting the grave of Razia Sultan. It is so sad. She was such a great ruler of Delhi, yet nobody talks about her,” says Maqsood Ahmad, social worker and a school teacher of Anglo Arabic School, Ajmerji Gate. As you leave the compound where Razia Sultan is buried, you bound to think who is there in his/her eternal sleep in a grave next to her. None would enlighten you. Meanwhile, there has always been a dispute among historians about Razia Sultan's grave. Historian RV Smith argues that there was no place called Shahjahanabad during Razia Sultan's time. Why was she buried at Turkman Gate then? The question is valid because her capital was in the Mahrauli area. Some claim that Razia Sultan's grave is in the city of Kaithal in Haryana. The British Viceroy Lord Linlithgow even visited the place in 1938. There is also a claim that Razia Sultan lies in eternal sleep in the city of Tonk in Rajasthan. Even though the debate surrounding her real tomb continues, Delhi gets another woman ruler.

However, more than seven hundred years after the reign of Razia Sultan, Sheila Dikshit became the Chief Minister of Delhi in 1998. She ruled Delhi for 15 consecutive years. It is rare for any ruler to have ruled Delhi for such a long period. If Sheila Dikshit's tenure as Chief Minister was the longest, Sushma Swaraj's tenure was not even two months. She was the Chief Minister of Delhi from 12 October 1998 to 3 December 1998. Obviously, in such a short tenure, she could not take any significant steps for the benefit of the people. The BJP high command wanted someone else to be Chief Minister instead of Sahib Singh Verma, and Sushma Swaraj's name was unanimously agreed upon.

If you delve into the past pages of Delhi's politics, you will find that Dr. Sushila Nayyar was kept away from the Chief Minister's chair for unknown reasons. The Delhi Legislative Assembly elections were held in 1952, along with the first Lok Sabha elections in the country. The Congress won an unprecedented victory. Based on her work in politics and public life, Dr. Sushila Nayyar was expected to be the Chief Minister. However, Chaudhary Brahm Prakash, the MLA from Nangloi, was made the first Chief Minister of Delhi. He appointed Dr. Sushila Nayyar as his Health Minister. At that time, many were surprised why Dr. Sushila Nayyar was not made the Chief Minister. She had been elected to the Legislative Assembly from Dev Nagar. Dr. Sushila Nayyar was a disciple of Gandhiji and his personal physician. She was the younger sister of Pyare Nayyar, Gandhiji's personal secretary. When Gandhiji went on a fast from 12 to 18 January 1948, Dr. Sushila Nayyar was keeping an eye on his health. She established a tuberculosis sanatorium in Faridabad. She encouraged doctors across the country to go to rural areas. Her personality was very impressive. She never complained to anyone about not being made the Chief Minister. Same way, nobody can say that Delhi has not given fair deal to women as many accomplished women have ruled the historic city.

Anyway, Atishi will be the Chief Minister until the next Legislative Assembly elections in Delhi. Let's see how memorable her journey is as Chief Minister. Her capabilities are undeniable.

After she was made the Chief Minister, everyone is talking about her St. Stephens College and Oxford University. But, it is beyond comprehension why her Springdales School, Pusa Road, and its founder principal, Rajni Kuma, are being ignored. Rajni Kumar, originally a British citizen, established her school on the basis of secularism and universal brotherhood. Many excellent schools have opened in the capital, but Springdales School set a new standard of excellence. Rajni Kumar and her husband Yudhishthira Kumar were influenced by leftist ideologies. Now you can understand that while living under the shadow of Rajni Kumar, Atishi must have dreamt of building a better society.

Joyce Margaret Jones became Rajni Kumar in 1948 when she married Dr. Yudhishthira Kumar. Their wedding took place on the day Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated – January 30, 1948. They both studied together at the London School of Economics. After getting married, they came to Delhi and settled in East Patel Nagar. After a few years, Rajni Kumar, with the support of her husband and father-in-law, opened a school in their house in East Patel Nagar. They named it Springdales School. Rajni Kumar went door-to-door in Karol Bagh, Patel Nagar, Rajendra Nagar, Pusa Road, Ramjas Road, etc., asking people to send their children to her school. She was deeply saddened by the destruction caused in Asia and Africa during the Second World War. Therefore, they always raised their voices against war.

Rajni Kumar passed away two years ago at the age of 99. She remained active until the last years of her life. She kept an eye on every child of Springdales School. Atishi must have also been inspired by Rajni Kumar to walk the path of truth and morality. Clearly, Atishi must be remembering her Rajni Madam while striving to improve Delhi's government schools.

(The author is Delhi-based senior journalist and writer. He is author of Gandhi's Delhi which has brought to the forth many hidden facts about Mahatma Gandhi)