Niloufer: A Turkish Princess in India and her Journey from Exile to Pioneer for Women's Empowerment during the first half of the 20th Century

Betül Başaran (St. Mary's College of Maryland)

Princess Niloufer belonged to the Ottoman dynasty and was condemned to life-long exile after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire following World War I. Her life is a fascinating story of exile from Turkey to the French Riviera, followed by royal glamor in India as daughter-in-law of Hyderabad’s last independent ruler, where she evolved from foreign bride into a cultural ambassador dedicated to women’s empowerment. Her transnational and cross-cultural journey presents a unique perspective to investigate the intertwined themes of international politics, religion, royalty, and Muslim women’s agency during a turbulent period of major social and political transformations.

For the Zoom link to this event please contact Wayne Dooling wd2@soas.ac.uk or Shabnum Tejani st40@soas.ac.uk