Wife of Liaquat Ali Khan, she was one of the eminent members of the Pakistan movement. She served as the economic adviser to Jinnah’s Pakistan Movement Committee and later became First Lady of Pakistan.
Born in 1905 at Almore, United States of Oudh and Agra, she fearlessly pursued her academic career at the time when women education was not a norm and gained her First Class Masters Degree in Economics in 1929.
She began her career as a teacher in the Gokhale Memorial School after completing the Teachers Diploma Course from the Diocesan College, Lucknow. She was later appointed as Professor of Economics in Indraprasatha College, Delhi. Later she was married to Liaqat Ali khan, in 1933.
Soon after joining hands with her husband, she worked vehemently for the political consciousness of women. Her journey to bring prosperity to her nation did not stop, even when she went through a major blow in her personal life after the death of her husband, Liaqat Ali Khan.
She served the country in various arenas, keeping women advancement as her pinning agenda. She began her career as a teacher in the Gokhale Memorial School after completing the Teachers Diploma Course from the Diocesan College. She was later appointed as Professor of Economics in the Indraprasatha College Delhi, India.
In 1949, Begum Ra’ana arranged a conference of over 100 active women from all over Pakistan. The conference announced the formation of a voluntary and non-political organization for the social, educational and cultural uplift of the women, named All Pakistan Women’s Association. (APWA). She was nominated as its first President.
In the field of education, she formed Home Economic Colleges in Karachi, Lahore and Dhaka. She also founded the organizations such as, for the working women, she founded a string of industrial homes and working places. Among these institutions the prominent ones were: Rana Liaquat Model Colony for Craftsmen Karachi, Gule Rana Nusrat Industrial Community Centre Karachi, Voluntary Health and Nutrition Association and Pakistan Cottage Industries Shop.
She also aced in the field of Foreign Affairs for the country. As Ambassador of Pakistan, she served in Netherlands and Italy, for a total of decade. In 1952, Ra’ana was the first Muslim woman delegate to the United Nations in 1952. She was also appointed as the Governor of Sindh.
In 1951, she was awarded with Nishan Imtiaz. United Nation Human Rights Award in 1978, Jane Adam’s Medal in 1950 and Woman of Achievement Medal 1950.
Begum Liaquat died on 13 June 1990 and was buried next to her husband in the precincts of the Quaid’s Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s mausoleum. She was being revered as the Mother of Pakistan.