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Depicted person: Aga Khan III 鈥� 48th Imam of the Nizari Ismaili community (1877-1957) Photo by Unknown author –

Top 10 Astonishing Facts about Aga Khan III

Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah, Aga Khan III, was the 48^th hereditary Imam of the Nizari Isma鈥檌li doctrine. He was known for championing political rights and education amongst the Islamic communities of India.

He was Knight Commander of the Indian Empire (KCIE) and got promoted to Knight Grand Commander (GCIE) in 1902 during the Coronation Honours.

Khan III was a husband to 4 wives and a father to 4 sons namely Giuseppe Mahdi Shah, Prince Aly Khan, Prince Giuseppe Mahdi Aga Khan, and Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan.

He died in Versoix, Switzerland on 11^th July 1957 at the age of 79. The seat of Imam was succeeded by his grandson, Aga Khan IV.

1. Khan III Was Born During The British Raj

Map of the British Indian Empire from Imperial Gazetteer of India. Photo by Edinburgh Geographical Institute; J. G. Bartholomew and Sons –

Aga Khan III was born in 1877 in Karachi, now Pakistan. He was the only son of Aga Khan II, the 47^th Imam of the Nizari Imaili, and Nawab A鈥檒i Shamsul-Muluk.

At the time of his birth, the British Crown had ruled India for 19 years. The British Raj ended in 1947 after it was divided into 2 sovereign dominion states, the Republic of India and the Dominion of Pakistan.

2. He Became Imam at The Age of 7

Following the death of his father, Aga Khan III became the Imam of Shi鈥檃 Isma鈥檌li Muslims in 1885. His mother made certain Aga Khan had gotten Islamic, Oriental, and Western education in the preparation for his role as a spiritual leader.

He attended affairs of his own community assiduously and quickly landed a leading position amongst Muslims in India.

3. Aga Khan III Led The Muslims in The Simla Deputation With British Viceroy, Lord Minto

Picture of Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto. Photo by an Unknown author – ns

In 1906, Monhsin-ul-Mulk formed a committee of 35 eminent Indian Muslim leaders in an effort to increase the representation of Muslims in the local council.

Lord Minto met with the deputation that was led by Aga Khan III in Simla. The British Viceroy being compassionate to Indian desires granted the wishes of the leaders and involved the Muslims in the governance of British India through the India Council Act 1909.

The Act granted Muslims separate electorates and admitted Indians to the executive councils of Bombay and Madras states.

4. He Was One of The Founders of The All-India Muslim League (AIML)

The founding members of the All India Muslim League at the baradari of Shah Bagh in Dhaka on 30 December 1906. Photo by Unknown Author GENESIS DHAKA 1906 –

Aga Khan III was amongst the founders and was the first permanent president (1906-1912) of the All-India Muslim League (AIML) political party. AIML was formed in 1906 after the Simla Deputation earlier that same year.

The aim of the organization was to protect the rights of the Muslims that were in British India (the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent).

Aga Khan III wanted the Muslim Agendas to be advanced and pushed for British Education during the British Raj. He also advocated for religious nationalism i.e Muslims and Hindus to be treated as two separate nations.

The party鈥檚 strong advocacy eventually led to the partition of India in 1947. He resigned as president of AIML in 1912 but was still influential on the party鈥檚 policies and agendas.

5. Aga Khan III Was An Advocate for The Education of Muslims

Aga Khan studied at Eton College, England, and proceeded on to the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom. He believed that Muslims should prioritize their education and build their social network before engaging themselves in politics.

Sharing Sir Syeds Ahmad鈥檚 belief, Khan III advocated for free primary education, improved secondary schools, and government/private scholarships to enable Muslim students further their college studies abroad.

He was appointed the Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University in 1921 after raising 3 million rupees for the school for the establishment of a scientific, industrial and technical research institute.

Aga Khan served as the president of the All India Muhammadan Education Conference which was founded by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan to promote liberal Muslim education.

6. He Established 200 Schools in Asia and Africa

In 1902, Aga Khan III was appointed a member of the Viceroy鈥檚 Imperial Legislative Council in honour of his services for modern and multicultural education in East Africa and India.

In 1905, Aga Khan established his first school, Sir Aga Khan, in Gwadar. Diamond Jubilee High Schools were established in the remote areas of Northern Pakistan. They are over 160 Aga Khan Schools across Pakistan.

7. Aga Khan III Served as The First Asian President of The League of Nations

Chinese delegate addresses the League of Nations after the Mukden Incident, 1932. Photo by Robert Sennecke –

Khan III was first nominated to be a representative of India in the League of Nations in 1932. The organization was established by the Allied Powers after the end of World War 1.

He, later on, became the organization鈥檚 president for 1 year (1937-1938). He represented India in the 1932 Disarmament Conference championing World Peace

The League of Nations was dissolved in 1946 and its functions were transferred to the United Nations.

8. Khan III Was Celebrated By The Ismaili Community Thrice Within The Same Century

The Ismaili community celebrated Khan鈥檚 72-year service as Imamat by holding the Golden, Diamond, and Platinum Jubilees in the 20^th century. The Golden Jubilee was held in 1937, Diamond in 1946, and Platinum in 1954.

The earnings from the celebrations were utilized to further develop social welfare and institutions in Asia and Africa.

9. Aga Khan III Wrote His Autobiography

Aga Khan was the author of India in Transition a book that spoke of the politics of India prior to its partition.

He published his autobiography, The Memoirs of Aga Khan: World Enough and Time in 1954. The book described the political conditions of the world between 1897 and 1948 and his connection with leaders internationally. Khan III also wrote of his childhood and accomplishments as Imam.

Khan III was the first to design a detailed plan for the Federation of India.

10. He Was The 13 Time Flat Racing Champion Owner in Great Britain

Horse racing at Hippodrome Kamnica. Photo by Danilo 艩kofi膷 –

Khan III was a horse racing enthusiast and owned thoroughbred horses that competed in races. He had a total of 16 winning horses in the British Classic Races.

 He was the owner of the horses that won the most prize money in flat racing, in Great Britain. His first win in the competition was in 1924 and his final win was in 1952. He had a consecutive 4-year win from 1946-1949!

He gifted a filly horse, Astrakhan, to Queen Elizabeth II. The horse won the Hurst Park Racecourse in 1950.

Khan donated the first Aga Khan Trophy in 1926 to the winner of the Dublin Horse Show, Ireland鈥檚 showjumping competition. The show which first took place in 1864 has become a high-profile international show and has been held annually since 1940.