Sahibzadi Mahmooda Begum (1920 - 1999)

Sahibzadi Mahmooda Begum (1920 - 1999); President, Red Cross Society, Nabha State, 1945-1947; Central Committee of Refugee Council, 1947; Lahore Municipal Corporation, 1948-1958; Lahore Improvement Trust, 1956-1958; National Council of Social Welfare, 1956-1958; Executive Committee of Girl Guides, 1953-1959; Railway Advisory Committee, Lahore, 1956-1965; Executive Committee, All Pakistan Women Association (APWA); Deputy Mayor, Lahore Municipal Corporation, 1958; Governing Body, Janki Devi Maternity Hospital, 1948-1961; Provincial Assembly of West Pakistan (MPA) (two terms, 1962-65, 1965-69); Pakistan National Assembly (MNA), 1985-1988; Piloted three bills for women rights and welfare

Sahibzadi Mahmooda Begum is well known in Pakistan, not only as one of the first women politicians,but also a Muslim Leaguer who believed in betterment of the country and women rights; but she got her start even before partition. She was born in the Princely State of Nabha in 1920, and is the daughter of Sardar Siddique Mohammed Khan, Bar-at-Law, Revenue Minister, Nabha State; grand daughter of Khan Bahadur Sardar Bakhshi Wali Mohd. Khan, Chief of the forces of Nabha State; and grand daughter of Sir Rahim Bakhsh, President of the Council of Regency & Council of Ministers, Bahawalpur State. She married Sardar Masum Khan of Patiala State.

Sahibzadi's grandfather, Khan Bahadur Bakhshi Wali Mohammed Khan, served in several positions in Nabha State, including General, Foreign Minister, and Judicial Minister. Wali's three sons were Sardar Siddique Mohammed Khan, Sardar Rafiq Mohammed Khan, and Sardar Shafiq Mohammed Khan. Rafiq was the Chief Minister of Patiala State, and his son Bhai (Sardar) Masum Khan also served under the Maharaja of Patiala. Bhai Masum Khan was the Deputy Commissioner at Sarhand Basi, where there is a Darbar of a Muslim saint (similar to Data Sahib's Darbar in Lahore).