Known in his native North-West Frontier as ‘Badshah Khan’, and to millions in undivided India as the ‘Frontier Gandhi’, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was born in Utmanzal village in 1890. His father, Khan Bahram Khan, was one of the leading Khans (Chiefs) of the province, much respected for his deep piety and unflinching courage.
After a short study in Peshwar missionary school, the young Khan Ghaffar went to Aligarh for a year’s study. There he-came under the spell of Maulana Zafar Ali Khan’s journal, Zamindar, and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad’s Urdu Weekly, AI Hital, and opted for the freedom struggle of India.
In 1919, when Gandhiji started his agitation against the Rowlatt Bill, Abdul Ghaffar joined it and went to British prison for six months. In 1921, Abdul Ghaffar started a national school at Utmanzal, and toured the province to spread national feelings among the people. So he was arrested and sent to jail for three years under the Frontier Crimes Regulations.
After some time, he was transferred to a Punjab prison, where he came in close contact with political prisoners belonging to other communities. He began to study the Gita, the Bible and the Granth Sahib. This gave him a better understanding 6f other religions. Now he closely followed Gandhiji’s life-style and preaching, and constantly tried to emulate his Guru. While in prison, he fasted and observed silence once in a week, which led to other prisoners’ affectionately calling him ‘Frontier Gandhi’.
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In 1924, on his release from jail, Badsha Khan formed in his province a group of young dedicated men called Khudai Khidmatgars (Servants of God), or ‘The Red Shirts’, who started a constructive movement in their province, carrying out Congress programmes with an attitude of nonviolence.
In April, 1930 Badshah Khan was arrested for his activities (luring the Civil Disobedience Movement. Afterwards, he was arrested many a time for giving speeches, or for participating in Congress movements, like ‘Quit India’ Movement of 1942 etc.
Badshah Khan strongly opposed the partition of India. After partition, he travelled in riot-affected areas along with Gandhiji, in order to maintain peace and harmony among the Hindus and the Muslims.
After partition, during his stay in Pakistan, Badshah Khan was sent to Pakistan jail many a time on suspicion that he was an agent of India.
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Free India never forgot ‘Frontier Gandhi’. He was invited to the Congress Centenary Celebration held in Bombay in December, 1985. In 1987, he was brought to India for his medical treatment, and was awarded the ‘Bharat Ratna’, India’s highest civilian award. When he was offered a reward of one lakh of rupees, he declined it.
Badshah Khan died in 1988.