Khan Bahadur

Khan Bahadur – a compound of Khan "Leader" and Bahadur "Brave" – was a honorary title in British India conferred on Indian subjects who were adherents of Islam or Zoroastrianism. The equivalent title for Hindus, Buddhists and Indian Christians was Rao Bahadur/Rai Bahadur and Sardar Bahadur for Sikhs. The title of Khan Bahadur was one degree higher than the title of Khan Sahib.

The title was conferred on individuals for faithful service or acts of public welfare to the Empire. Recipients were entitled to prefix the title to their name and were presented with a special Title Badge and a citation (Sanad). It was conferred on behalf of the Government of British India by the Viceroy and Governor-General of India.

Awarding of the Khan Bahadur title was discontinued in 1947 upon the independence of India.

The title "Khan Bahadur" was originally conferred in Mughal India on Muslim subjects in recognition of public services rendered and was adopted by British India for the same purpose and extended to cover other non-Hindu subjects of India. Hindu subjects of British India were conferred the title of "Rai Bahadur".

Recipients
The following is a chronological list of selected recipients (the list below is not exhaustive):
 * 1881: Khan Bahadur Khuda Bakhsh C.I.E, Former Chief Justice of Hyderabad State, Founder of Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Library
 * Raja Mir Syed Muhammad Baquar Ali Khan C.I.E. of Morni, Kotaha and Pindrawal
 * 1887: Nawab Sirjaul Islam
 * 1886: Khan Bahadur Fazal Husain Khan, District Superintendent of Police, Bareily, Uttar Pradesh
 * 1891: Mian Ghulam Farid Khan Bahadur, former Extra-Assistant Commissioner in Punjab and Honorary Magistrate of Batala.
 * Khan Bahadur Khalifullah Rowther Sahib, Dewan of Pudukkottai State
 * 1898: Khan Bahadur Humayun Beg Wazir of Hunza.
 * 1905: Muhammad Habibullah was awarded the title of Khan Bahadur by the Indian government
 * 1912: Khan Bahadur Sayed Rustom Ali (Registrar, Court of the Political Resident, Aden).
 * 1912: Khan Bahadur, Nadir Husain, District Superintendent of Police, Bengal.
 * 1914: Khan Bahadur Muhammad Hira Khan, (Civil Engineer from University of Roorkee (Gold Medalist); Supervisor, Public Works Department, Lucknow, United Provinces.
 * 1915: Khan Bahadur Syed Abdul Majid, CIE (Bengali politician, lawyer and entrepreneur)
 * 1918: Khan Bahadur Sir Nawab Shah Jahan Khan, Was the Nawab of Dir (princely state), He became the Khan Bahadur in 1918 )
 * 1919: Khan Bahadur Muhammad Hussain Khan Swati, 5th Chief of Swati tribe.
 * 1923: Khan Bahadur Mian Muhammad Said, Bar-at-law, British-Indian Police and Minister in Royal State of Kapurthala.
 * 1925: Khan Bahadur Maulvi Gada Husain, (retired) Deputy Collector, United Provinces.
 * 1925: Khan Bahadur Maulvi Alimuzzaman Chaudhuri. M.L.C. Landholder and Chairman, District Board and Municipality, Faridpur.

1941: Khan Bahadur Syed Abdur Rauf, MLA,Lawyer, Calcutta, Howrah.
 * 1929: Khan Bahadur Major General Fateh Naseeb Khan, Senapati, Alwar State, Rajputana
 * 1930: Khan Bahadur, Syed Niaz Qutb (also spelled as Qutab), Postmaster General.
 * 1931: Khan Bahadur, Khan Sahib Chaudhri Khair Ud Din, Supridentant Central Jail Lahore, for his personal distinction and services to the Crown and Punjab. For completing the Lower Bari Doab canal and restoring peace in Lahore by being a member of All personal Committee.
 * 1931: Khan Bahadur Maulvi Muhammad Fazlul Karim, Magistrate, collector, and administrator of Refugees, Bengal.
 * 1932: Khan Bahadur Abdur Rahman Khan, Divisional Inspector of Schools.
 * 1933 Khan Bahadur Mohammed Musa Sait, A leading businessman, he was a Sheriff of Madras 1939, Madras Legislative Council Member (from 1923 to 1926)
 * 1935: Khan Bahadur Khalifa Mohammad Asadullah, the first Muslim and second Indian to run the Imperial Library of the Raj in Calcutta and the first Indian to become a fellow of the Library Association, London.
 * 1935: Sheikh Abdullah (1874–1965), Indian educationalist, social reformer, lawyer, and the founder of Women's College, Aligarh.
 * 1936: Khan Bahadur Waliur Rahman, Planter and Proprietor of several tea gardens in Duars, Assam.
 * 1937: Khan Bahadur Muhammad Humayun, District Collector 1937-1939, ICS - Nellore.
 * 1938: Khan Bahadur Maulvi Muhammad Yahya, (retired) Deputy Magistrate, Deputy Collector and Chief Manager, Dacca Nawab Estate
 * 1943: Khan Bahadur Yousof Hossain Chaudhury, Vice-President, District School Board, Faridpur. [19] [The chieftains of Punjab] [The Gazette of Attock 1970]
 * Aziz al-Hasan Ghouri


 * Al Haj Nawab Jam Kambhu Khan, Chief of Samma (title of Nawab, Khan Bahadur, swords of honour), Khan Sahib Jam Mitha Khan (Khan Bahadur, Chief, Sanghar), Nawab Jam Jan Muhammad Khan (Member Legislative Assembly, title of Nawab, Sardar Bahadur, Khan Bahadur, OBE) S/O Jam Sharif Khan S/O Jam Nawaz Ali Khan who was the Nawab of the Samma and Junejo Tribes.


 * 1946: Lieutenant Colonel Khan Bahadur Muhammad Hassan Khan (1900–1948), He belonged to Rasulpur near Domeli near Jehlum. He served in the British Royal Army during World Wars 1&2 as well as the Pakistan Army in the Magnificent 4th Battalion of Engineers Regiment. First Director General Survey of Pakistan. Appointed by Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah himself. He was considered a courageous and generous officer. Pakistan occupied an additional 3871 square km during partition through the Radcliffe award. He passed away on 21 December 1948. His son Lieutenant Colonel Qurban Hassan Khan (Late), 18th PMA Long Course, Chief Instructor Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), later Adviser to the Prime Minister United Arab Emirates. His Grandson Lieutenant Colonel Faisal Hassan Khan is the Third Generation Officer serving the Pakistan Army.


 * Zoroastrian recipients


 * Khan Bahadur Ardeshir Irani, director of first Indian talkie picture Alam Ara.