Fatima Jinnah

Fatima never married and spent the majority of her life caring for her brother. Because of her fame for being such a devout sister, she is known today as the 'Mother of Pakistan'. In 1986, Jinnah's biography of her brother, 'My Brother', was published posthumously.

There are four schools of higher learning in Pakistan named after Jinnah, including a dental college. There is also a park named after her in Islamabad, where houses her tomb.

Fatima Ali Jinnah was born on 30th July 1893, in Karachi, British India. She was the youngest of seven surviving children: Muhammad Ali, Ahmad Ali, Bunde Ali, Rahmat Ali, Maryam, Fatima and Shireen.

Her mother was named Mithibai and her father was named Jinnahbhai Poonja. When their father died in 1901, her brother Muhammad Ali Jinnah became her legal guardian.

At age 9, Fatima was sent to live in the ‘Bandra Convent’ in Bombay. In 1919, Jinnah enrolled in the ‘University of Calcutta’. Her field of study was dentistry.

In 1923, she graduated from university and opened a dental clinic in Bombay.

In 1929, Jinnah closed her dental clinic to take care of her brother full-time. She was prompted to do this after his wife’s demise.

In 1930, when her brother Muhammed Ali moved to London, she followed. She stayed there four years and perfected her English.

In 1940, she attended a session of the ‘Muslim League’ in Lahore. A year later, she founded the ‘All India Muslim Women Students Federation’ in Delhi.

In 1947, when India became independent from Britain, Fatima became much more politically active. She formed the ‘Women's Relief Committee’.

Fatima Jinnah is widely considered as the spiritual role model for women in her native Pakistan. She dedicated her entire life to the service of poor and weak. She used her education and position to create awareness regarding women and prenatal health among other social issues.