Abdul Gaffer Khan was born in 1890 in a village called Utmanzal in undivided India. After a short study in Peshawar Missionary School, he went to Aligarh for higher studies. There, he became influenced by Maulana Abdul Kalam As ad’s Urdu weekly Al Hilal, and he joined the Indian freedom movement.

Abdul Ghaffar Khan, popularly known as ‘Badshah Khan’, in his native place, met Gandhiji in 1919. He closely followed Gandhiji’s life style, and preached peace and unity among the Indians. He went to jail several times, as a political prisoner.

In his own province, Badshah Khan formed a group of young nationalists called ‘Khudai Khidmatgars’ (Servants of God) or the ‘Red Shirts’, who worked with the

Congress programmed in their locality. Throughout his life, Badshah Khan worked hard for his country. He opposed the partition of India. He travelled with Gandhiji in riot affected areas of India to maintain peace and harmony among the Hindus and the Muslims.

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After the partition, Badshah Khan opted to stay in Pakistan, where he was jailed several times on suspicion that he was a secret agent of India.

In his old age, Badshah Khan was brought to India for medical treatment by the Indian Government, and was awarded the ‘Bharat Ratna’, the highest Indian award, but he declined it. Badshah Khan died in 1988.