Interview with Waheeduddin Choudhri, April 6, 2010

Interview Summary

This interview with Aligarh Muslim University alumnus Waheeduddin Choudhri begins with a brief discussion of his Bangladeshi background and his education. He then moves on to talk about his experiences at Aligarh Muslim University, including his political activism at the time of the partition of India. Next, Choudhri talks about Aligarh Muslim University's practice of segregating women from men in classes. He also discusses the communal violence that occurred in the late 1940s. As a result, Choudhri talks about taking train routes from his home in Sylhet (Bangladesh) to Aligarh (India) in order to disguise that he was a Muslim. Choudhri then discusses his father, who was a deputy magistrate during the British occupation of India. This position prevented him from openly supporting the independence movement and the All-India Muslim League. He also talks about other students protecting him from the discrimination that frequently befell Bengalis at the time of partition. Choudhri discusses why he preferred Pakistan over India, despite his father?s decision to stay in India. He also talks about his desire for a leftist, united India. Choudhri then talks about his support for an independent Bangladesh, as well as the importance of being a Bengali to his personal identity. He also discusses the movement to make Urdu the official language of Pakistan.

Interview Keyword

Engineers Aligarh Muslim University Partition of India Bangladesh Bengalis Politics

Interview LC Subject

Pakistan--History India--History India--History--Partition, 1947 Aligarh Muslim University Bangladesh--History Engineers

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.