G. M. Banatwala Explained

Gulam Mehmood Banatwalla
Birth Date:15 August 1933
Birth Place:Bombay (British India)
Death Place:Mumbai
Occupation:
  • Social worker
  • Politician
Mother:Ayesha
Father:Haji Noor Mohamed
Spouse:Ayesha Banatwalla
Alma Mater:
Education:MCom

Gulam Mehmood Banatwalla (15 August 1933  - 25 June 2008), also spelled as Banatwala, was an Indian politician and social worker from Mumbai.[1] [2] Banatwalla, a "firebrand orator" and intellectual, was regarded as the pan-India face of the Indian Muslim community.[3] [4]

Banatwalla was born in Bombay, in then-British India, to Haji Noor Mohamed and Ayesha in a Cutchi Memon family. He studied at Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics and S.T. College, Bombay. He married Ayesha in February 1960.

He was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in 1967 (Umerkhadi, Bombay). He later served seven terms in the Loksabha, from Ponnani in Kerala, between 1977  - 1989 and 1996  - 2004.[5] He also served as the national president of Indian Union Muslim League from 1993 to 2008. He was a member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board.

Banatwalla never spoke Malayalam and addressed the people of Kerala in English.[6] Banatwalla, aged 74, died on 25 June 2008. He had no children.

Books by G. M. Banatwala

Banatwala also contributed numerous articles in various journals both in English and Urdu.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Banatwalla, Gulam Mehmood (Member BioProfile). LokSabha (Official Website).
  2. News: 22 July 2008. G. M. Banatwala: Indian Muslim Leader. The Times. London.
  3. News: Press Trust of India. 26 Jun 2008. Muslim League Chief Banatwala Dies. The Times of India. Mumbai.
  4. Web site: 26 June 2008. IUML Leader Banatwala Dead. Arab News. Mumbai.
  5. Web site: Kurudath. Anil. 1 April 2019. A Glimmer of Hope for LDF to Breach IUML Fort Ponnani. Malayala Manorama (English).
  6. Web site: Kutty. K. Govindan. 23 Feb 1998. G. M. Banatwala. India Today.
  7. Web site: Members : Lok Sabha. 2021-04-10. 164.100.47.194.