by: Farooq Mirza
Life has an incredible way of surprising us. I feel deeply grateful to have inherited and honed the talents and values passed down from my parents. Through my extensive journeys across this vast world, I’ve had the privilege of meeting extraordinary individuals, and Sardar Nouman Azam Mughal stands out as one of the most remarkable—a person I proudly call a close friend.
Sardar Nouman is the son of Sardar Umrao Khan, descending from a noble lineage tied to the Doba sub-dynasty of the Mughal Empire in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). His ancestors dedicated their lives to serving humanity through acts of charity and compassion, embracing people regardless of background, faith, ethnicity, or nationality.
The Mughal Empire, a prominent power in South Asia, emerged in 1526 under Babur, who, with support from Safavid and Ottoman allies, defeated Ibrahim Lodi at the First Battle of Panipat and established control over much of northern India. The empire reached its zenith under Akbar and his successors, expanding across regions from the Indus Basin and Afghanistan to Assam, Bangladesh, and the Deccan. It endured until the early 18th century, with Aurangzeb marking its greatest territorial reach. After his death, the empire declined, particularly under British East India Company influence, and was formally ended by the British following the 1857 Indian Rebellion.
While built through conquest, the Mughals fostered cultural harmony by integrating local elites, introducing efficient administration, and standardizing governance. Akbar’s land revenue system, collecting over half of peasant produce in regulated silver currency, fueled economic growth and integrated rural economies into broader markets. The era’s relative stability in the 17th century boosted trade, especially with European demand for Indian goods, leading to lavish patronage of arts, literature, textiles, and iconic architecture—like the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Red Fort, Humayun’s Tomb, and Lahore Fort, many now UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Sardar Nouman’s family traces its roots to this imperial legacy, ruling vast areas from 1605 until British dominance in the mid-19th century. Conflicts with the British intensified after 1806, culminating in the 1857 Rebellion. During this time, many Mughal nobles migrated toward Kashmir amid shifting alliances.
Historical tensions included Queen Victoria’s interactions with regional rulers. The Sikh Maharaja Duleep Singh resisted British overtures to integrate his heirs into the aristocracy in exchange for treasures like the Koh-i-Noor diamond, looted from Punjab’s treasury—valued today at potentially over $100 billion. Queen Victoria documented these conquests in her journals, celebrating the annexation of Punjab.
Sardar Nouman’s forefather, His Highness Sardar Feroz Khan, navigated these turbulent times with grace. Queen Victoria reportedly offered support in Mumbai to form a tribal force against Maharaja Hari Singh, leading to shifts in Kashmiri authority.
As independence movements grew amid World War I and II, British policies—including the 1935 Government of India Act—heightened restrictions, sparking inevitable resistance. Post-1947 partition, Pakistan emerged on August 14, but faced severe financial challenges. Sardar Summander Khan contributed 2 crore rupees (roughly $280,000 at the time) to Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah for nation-building efforts.
The princely states of Junagadh and Kashmir were expected to join Pakistan, with King George VI reportedly supportive. However, personal dynamics—such as the close relationship between Lord Mountbatten’s wife Edwina and Jawaharlal Nehru—fueled controversy and speculation over Kashmir’s fate. The 1947–48 Indo-Pak War followed Pakistan-backed tribal incursions, resulting in an unresolved division that persists.
Subsequent events included the 1958 coup, Queen Elizabeth II’s 1961 visit (where Sardar Nouman’s grandfather, His Royal Highness Sardar Gulam Sarwar, was the first Kashmiri to discuss political issues with her), the 1962 Sino-Indian War, and the 1965 Indo-Pak War—major tank battles since WWII—ending in a UN-brokered ceasefire.
Family hardships followed: the grandfather’s passing in 1982 amid corruption, the devastating 2005 Kashmir earthquake (over 80,000 deaths, millions displaced), where the family rejected foreign aid and donated their wealth to victims. Prince Charles and Camilla visited in 2005.
Today, Sardar Nouman’s father, Umrao Khan, partners with WWF-Pakistan on cedar forest conservation (though funds remain pending) and sustains the community through trout farms, apple and apricot orchards, and dairy operations. Monthly income supports 15 schools (4,700 students), 338 widows, and aids 12,000 residents. All earnings are reinvested locally.
When invited to enter politics, Umrao Khan firmly declined, criticizing it as rooted in hypocrisy and self-interest. Sardar Nouman shares a grounded philosophy: greatness comes in three forms—born with it (like his father and me, driven by dreams to serve humanity), achieved through effort (his own path, born into crisis yet striving for change), or thrust undeservedly upon some.
He has penned numerous appeals to global leaders and philanthropists for aid, receiving responses only from Prince Harry and myself. His vision includes boosting tourism in AJK to combat unemployment, enhancing girls’ primary education, and partnering with UNDP and DCRIP for sustainable development.
We must amplify calls against alleged Indian actions in occupied Kashmir and bring the Kashmiri plight to the global stage. Azad Jammu Kashmir and Pakistan remain committed to supporting self-determination per UNSC resolutions.
Sardar Nouman said to me: “Vincent, you’re not Pakistani, yet your compassion shines through—you genuinely want to help. Visit Jammu Kashmir, meet our women and children, see our struggles firsthand, and carry our message worldwide.”
I replied: “Sardar, may God protect you and your family. I’ll join you soon, Inshallah, and we’ll celebrate together.”
The author is CEO/Founder of We Can Save Children, Director of Creative Development at the Economic & Social Council (United Nations), Middle East Correspondent for Wall Street News Agency, and Rescue & Recovery Specialist at the International Confederation of Police & Security Experts.
