NAWAB SIR SHAHNAWAZ KHAN MAMDOT

Nawab Sir Shah Nawaz Khan w~ born at Marndot in 1883. He was the grandson of Nawab Jamaluddin Khan who had been treacherously deposed by the East India Company after the annexation of Punjab in 1845. Sir Shah Nawaz Khan w~ very critical of the excesses of the British and had become increasingly disillusioned with their policies toward the Muslims. He left Marndot and settled in Hyderabad (Deccan) circa 1907. There he joined the state Police and became one of the most respected and trusted associates of the Nizam of Hyderabad.

In 1928, Nawab Ghulam Qutbuddin Khan Nawab of Mamdot died. He was issueless. The Court of Law awarded the Jagirs and the title 'Nawab of Mamdot' to Shah Nawaz Khan and he returned to his ancestral land; in 1934.

Nawab Mamdot soon entered politics and joined the Unionist Party of Punjab but felt dismayed over the wrangling within the Party .On the other hand he was deeply impressed by the ideals and personalities of Allama Iqbal and the Quaid-e-Azam. He joined the All India Muslim League in 1938 and became President of the Punjab Muslim League.

He became head of the Provincial Muslim League at a time when the organisational structure of the League in Punjab was almost non- existent. He was entrusted with the task by the Quaid of putting the Muslim League on a sound footing and even keel. It was a gigantic task but Shah Nawaz Mamdot-by dint of his single minded devotion, decency, honesty, piety and humility and imbued with love for the Muslim Ummah and imbibed with a sense of purpose-was able to galvanize Muslim League into a forceful body in the Punjab.

Sir Shah Nawaz Marndot played a pivotal role in organizing the historic session of the All India Muslim League in March 1940 at Lahore and bore personally almost all its expenses. He was the Chairman of the Reception Committee for the delegates from all over the country and presented before the delegates his historic Address of welcome which formed the basis of the Quid’s key note address at the very session.

He became one of the trusted lieutenants of the Quaid and from 1937 to 1947 'Mamdot Villa' at Lahore was almost a second home for Quaid-e- Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

Nawab Sir Shah Nawaz Mamdot remained President of the Punjab Muslim League and member All India Muslim League Working Committee till his death on March 28, 1942. His demise was deeply mourned by the Muslims of India and the Quaid described his death 'a great loss to the Country and particularly the Muslim Community'.