Zubeida Rahimtoola
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Use Pakistani English|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Zubeida Rahimtoola
| honorific-prefix = Begum
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Zubeida Sultan Chinoy
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1917|08|12}}
| birth_place = Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2015|07|05|1917|08|12}}
| death_place = Karachi, Pakistan
| other_names = "Queen of Hearts"
| occupation =
| years_active =
| known_for = Social worker,
Political activist
| notable_works =
| spouse = Habib Rahimtoola
}}
Zubeida Habib Rahimtoola (12 August 1917 – 5 July 2015), born Zubeida Sultan Chinoy in Bombay{{cite news|title=The Queen of Hearts: Zubeida Habib Rahimtoola|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/920121/the-queen-of-hearts-zubeida-habib-rahimtoola/|access-date=19 January 2020|newspaper=The Express Tribune (newspaper)|date=19 July 2015}} was an Activist and Social Worker primarily based out of Karachi. She was the president of All-India Muslim League in UK and founding member of All Pakistan Women's Association.{{cite web|title=Begum Zubeida Habib Rahimtoola profile and portrait|url=http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp55562/begum-zubeida-habib-rahimtoola-nee-chinoy|website=National Portrait Gallery, London|publisher=Bassano Ltd|access-date=20 January 2020}} She was awarded with Sitara-e-Khidmat (Star of Service) for her services by the President Ayub Khan.
Personal life
Zubeida Chinoy married Habib Rahimtoola{{cite web|title=Zubeida Rahimtoola - From The Herald archives|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12245168.From_The_Herald_archives/|website=Herald Scotland|date=14 December 2001 |access-date=20 January 2020}} in 1935. From that point on she took on an active social welfare front to support Muslim women in British India followed by several women development projects mainly revolving around education after creation of Pakistan.
On the family front, Zubaida Rahimtoola's father Sultan Chinoy was a businessman and had remained Mayor of Bombay [1938-39]. She had three children from her marriage to Habib Ibrahim Rahimtoola i.e. two sons and a daughter.
Early life and career
She received her early education at Convent of Jesus and Mary, Bombay (present-day Mumbai) followed by matriculation at the Queen Mary's School. She then attended Elphinstone College where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree.
Zubeida Rahimtoola was one of the founding members of the All Pakistan Women's Association (APWA). As she was based in the United Kingdom at partition in 1947, she became the first President of APWA UK. She was the first President of the Jinnah's All-India Muslim League in the United Kingdom after the independence of Pakistan in 1947.
She returned to Pakistan in 1953 and continued her work with APWA. She led various delegations of the organization to Afro-Asia Conferences and China. Zubeida was the President of the Sindh APWA (1953–54) – then she became Vice President APWA National (1955–58). She also held the position of Chairman APWA Cottage Industry (1956–74). Finally she was the Chairman, Karachi APWA (1991–97). She also held the position of Secretary's at the Pakistan American Cultural Center in Karachi.{{cite web|title=Pakistan American Cultural Center (PACC) founding members|url=http://pacc.edu.pk/founding-members/ |website=Pakistan American Cultural Center (PACC) website|access-date=19 January 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://fp.brecorder.com/2019/08/20190814506360/ |title=The unsung heroes of Pakistan Movement|author=Zarina Patel|date=14 August 2019|newspaper=Business Recorder (newspaper)|access-date=19 January 2020}}
Awards
Begum Rahimtoola was awarded the Sitara-e-Khidmat (Star of Service) by the President of Pakistan Ayub Khan in 1960 for her contributions to women's organizations in Pakistan and her work on 'West Pakistan Family Laws' including Women's Rights.
Death
Zubeida Habib Rahimtoola died on 5 July 2015 at age 97 at Karachi, Pakistan.{{cite news|title=Begum Zubeida Habib passes away|url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1192992|access-date=19 January 2020|newspaper=Dawn (newspaper)|date=8 July 2015}}
References
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Category:Politicians from Mumbai
Category:Elphinstone College alumni
Category:Pakistani expatriates in England
Category:All-India Muslim League politicians
Category:Pakistani people of Gujarati descent
Category:Pakistani social workers
Category:Pakistani women's rights activists