“Hindu-Muslim unity was the breath of his nostrils”—. so stated Mahatma Gandhi after the death of this great leader of Hindu-Muslim unity and the struggle for independence. By profession a unani physician of worldwide fame upon whom was conferred the title of Hafiz-ul-Mulk in 1908 and Kaiser-i- Hind in 1915 for his contribution to the science of medicine, Ajmal Khan was born on February 12, 1868 in Delhi. His efforts towards developing the indigenous systems of medi­cine include the setting up of the ‘Hindustani Dawakhana’ in Ballimaran, Delhi. He made his mark in the literary field as well: he wrote verses in Persian and Urdu adopting the pen- name Shaida and was the founder of Mujalla-i-Tibbia, a monthly magazine.

His political career began taking shape with his attempts to project his views on the state of the society in the Urdu weekly, Akmal-ul-Akhbar. Social reform went hand in hand with his political fight for India’s independence. He voiced a strong cause in favour of educating the women of India. He pleaded with the Hindus and the Muslims to maintain com­munal harmony. He urged the Muslims of India to pay regard to Hindu susceptibilities while fulfilling their duty as devout patriots. He was personally involved in bringing peace to areas torn by communal riots and rebuking the guilty persons for their wrong actions. He was a strong force behind the joint Hindu-Muslim initiative to protest against the massacre in Jallianwalla Bagh and demand a peaceful swaraj.

Ajmal Khan had not only been the President of the All- India Muslim Leaguebut he was also the first Muslim Chairman of the Hindu Mahasabha’s Reception Committee. Atone point of time, he held the twin posts of President of the Indian National Congress and Chairman of the Khilafat Conference. Gandhi appointed Hakim Ajmal Khan as the Chairman of the Civil Disobedience Enquiry Committee after his arrest in 1922. Any account of Hakim Ajmal Khan would be left incom­plete without mentioning the National Muslim University founded by him in Aligarh, the Jarnia Millia Islamia, in 1920 which was shifted to Delhi five years later. He became the first Chancellor of the university which, in keeping with Gandhi’s freedom programme, encouraged the using of takli and charkha.