Che Puan Besar Kalsom Abdullah

Che Puan Besar Hajjah Kalsom Abdullah (Jawi: چئ ڤوان بسر حاجه كلثوم عبدالله), formerly known as Sultanah Kalsom (née Anita; born 12 September 1951 in Taftan, Baluchistan, Dominion of Pakistan) is the former Sultanah of Pahang as the second wife of Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah. She is of Persian and Pakistani descent.

Early life
She was born on 12 September 1951 in Taftan, Baluchistan, Dominion of Pakistan.

Prior to her marriage, she was an air stewardess for a prominent airline.

Personal life
She and the Sultan have a son together Tengku Fahad Mua'adzam Shah, the Tengku Arif Temenggong of Pahang.

Titles and styles
After marrying with Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang on 14 March 1991, she was then styled as Che Puan Kalsom Abdullah on the day of her marriage.

On 30 September 1992, Sultanah Hajjah Kalsom Abdullah was proclaimed the title of Her Royal Highness Sultanah of Pahang.

After her husband's death on 22 May 2019, her stepson Al-Sultan Abdullah bestowed upon her the title of Her Highness Che Puan Besar Hajjah Kalsom Abdullah on 15 August 2019. The title of Che Puan Besar (equivalent to Queen dowager) is for a commoner who becomes the widow of the late Sultan.

Contributions
Che Puan Besar Hajjah Kalsom has been active with social causes and is a patron of numerous organisations, lending her presence to inspire those engaged in managing these organisations.

Yayasan Sri Kencana Kalsom
The Yayasan Sri Kencana Kalsom, named after her, provides shelter for single parents as well as women who have been victims of domestic abuse. The Yayasan helps these women rebuild their lives finding them jobs that enable them to be independent and lead their lives with dignity.

OrphanCARE
She is also Patron of OrphanCARE Foundation, a non-profit organisation that aims in getting orphans adopted. OrphanCARE also set up Malaysia's first baby hatch for mothers to anonymously leave their unwanted newborns to be put up for adoption. She has given her full support to the organisation which has the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development as its smart partner.

Soroptimist Club of Kuantan
As Patron of the Soroptimist Club of Kuantan, a gathering of professional women who pool their talents to assist the needy, Che Puan Besar Hajjah Kalsom works closely to guide the movement with her strong views on empowerment. Her concern for women stems from her personal philosophy that dreams must be pursued to the fullest and that women must be given every opportunity to realise their talents.

The Sorority
Che Puan Besar Hajjah Kalsom is also an Honorary Member of The Sorority, an exclusive members-only club for inspiring professional women based in London, is considered an iconic inspirational woman who represents the modern, professional woman who is shaping the future with individual style and expression.

Kiwanis Club of Kuantan
Che Puan Besar Hajjah Kalsom has been the patron of the Kiwanis Club of Kuantan since 2004.

Honour of Pahang

 * Pahang :
 * MY-PAH Family Order of the Crown of Indra of Pahang - DK I.svg Member 1st class of the Family Order of the Crown of Indra of Pahang (DK I) (24 October 1999)

Honorary doctorate

 * 🇲🇾 Malaysia :
 * Honorary Doctorate of Social Development from the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology - (18 December 2010)

Places named after her
Several places were named after her, including:


 * Hospital Sultanah Hajjah Kalsom in Cameron Highlands, Pahang
 * Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sultanah Hajjah Kalsom, a secondary school in Kuantan, Pahang
 * Rumah Kanak-kanak Sultanah Hajjah Kalsom, an orphanage home in Kuantan, Pahang