Sir Sikander Hayat Khan - The forgotten statesman who opposed the partition

Almost a century ago, at a time when for a South Asian commoner, it was virtually impossible to become a Head of State or the Head of a Government, directly under British rule, there existed an individual who would go on to become both and many more things, at least one more of those feats was also a first for an Indian. This individual was not born into nobility, but his self-made father was eventually ennobled at the beginning of the Edwardian era, and he would go on to become a Soldier, an Industrialist, a Cricket Administrator, a Senior Banker and a Politician Statesman who served both as the Acting Governor of United Punjab twice between 1932-1934 and also as the first Prime Minister of United Punjab between 1937-1942. This person later became famous as Sir Sikander Hayat Khan, and he was one of the staunch supporters of a United Punjab which during his tenure was governed by Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs and which according to him was not to be divided on communal lines and was to be united and administered and managed by Punjabis. Family and Early Life: Captain The Hon'ble Nawabzada Sir Sikander Hayat Khan, KBE was born on the 5th of June 1892 into the family of Nawab Muhammad Hayat Khan, CSI, a judge who had started his life as an Orderly and went on to serve in many important positions which included roles in Police, Administration and Judiciary. The Nawab was also an author whose book, "Afghanistan and its Inhabitants" became a much sought-after piece of literature post its translation into English by Henry Priestley of the Indian Civil Service. Sir Sikander Hayat Khan's elder brother Nawab Sir Liaqat Hayat Khan, KCSI went on to serve as the Prime Minister of the princely state of Patiala between 1930 and 1940 and later also served as an advisor to the Nawab of Bhopal. Sir Sikander was educated in India where he attended the Oriental Collegiate High School in Aligarh and later the Aligarh Muslim University, whose founder Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was a close friend of his father. He was briefly educated in England where he attended King's College.Early Career:His first great exposure came in the First World War where he served initially as a recruitment officer and later saw action in the rank of an Honorary officer. He eventually reached the rank of a Captain and was awarded the MBE(Mil.) for his services in the First World War and the Third Anglo-Afghan War. This phase was followed by the phase of being an Industrialist during which he worked in Tea, Railways and Banking to name a few. He was hugely successful, and his cultured manner, charisma, knowledge and capabilities soon started getting recognition in the Organisational and Government level. This included being initially head of Attock District Board and then being elected to the Punjab Legislative Council. He also held a judicial rank as an Honorary Magistrate. The Great Rise:The great rise happened on him becoming the Acting Governor of Punjab twice. He served close to seven months during this tenure. In 1933 he became the first Indian to head the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in which position he served till 1935. He was also the Acting Deputy Governor of the RBI for a brief period. In the mid 1930's he took up the leadership of the Unionist Party which mainly represented the interests of the landed gentry of Punjab and had a secular outlook to an extent. Soon in a landslide victory he became the Premier of British Punjab, a position which he held till the end of 1942. His political career saw many ups and downs and included a pact with Jinnah which did not survive for long after his death. Though he believed in the existence of a semi-autonomous Muslim-Majority area within the Indian Federation, but he was against the division of both India and Punjab. During the second World War he not only supported the War Efforts but also visited the battle fronts in Egypt, while dressed in his military attire, to motivate the Punjabi soldiers serving there. He also met Churchill with whom he would often share his dream of the transition of the Indian Empire into an Autonomous Federation. The End:A respected leader with a wide portfolio of leadership roles executed during his lifetime met a strange demise on the night of Christmas 1942 after executing the responsibilities of marrying off three of his children earlier that day. Sir Sikander died an Indian though his children later opted to migrate to Pakistan. Because of his attitude against the partition, he was greatly forgotten in Pakistan where his grave today lies in neglect and amidst all the chaos he was also forgotten in India where at one point of time he was at one point of time one of the highest-ranking office holders.