The Remarkable Journey of Princess Sarvath El Hassan: From Calcutta to Jordan's Royal Family

Sarvath Ikramullah was born in Calcutta (now Kolkata) to the prestigious Suhrawardy family, a notable Bengali Muslim lineage.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent diplomatic mission to Jordan has highlighted the significant relationship between India and the Hashemite Kingdom. During his visit, PM Modi engaged in comprehensive delegation-level discussions with King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein at Amman's Al-Husseiniya Palace. Their talks encompassed bilateral relations, regional stability initiatives, and collaborative counter-terrorism efforts.

Beyond diplomatic relationships, Jordan's royal family maintains a remarkable connection to the Indian subcontinent through Princess Sarvath El Hassan, formerly Sarvath Ikramullah, who was born in Calcutta in 1947.

The story of Sarvath Ikramullah begins in Calcutta (now Kolkata) where she was born into the distinguished Suhrawardy family just weeks before the partition of British India. Her father, Mohammed Ikramullah, had a distinguished career in the Indian Civil Service before becoming Pakistan's inaugural Foreign Secretary. Her mother, Shaista Suhrawardy Ikramullah, broke barriers as one of Pakistan's earliest female parliamentarians and later served as ambassador to Morocco.

Princess Sarvath received her education in Britain and grew up experiencing various cultures through her father's diplomatic assignments across Europe and South Asia. Her path crossed with Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan's Hashemite dynasty in London through their shared diplomatic connections.

On August 28, 1968, Sarvath Ikramullah and Prince Talal celebrated their marriage in Karachi, Pakistan. Their wedding ceremony beautifully blended Pakistani, Jordanian, and Western traditions. After their marriage, the couple established their home in Amman, where they raised their four children: Princesses Rahma, Sumaya, and Badiya, along with Prince Rashid.

Princess Sarvath served as Crown Princess of Jordan for over three decades, from 1968 until 1999. Throughout this period, she dedicated herself to advancing education, social welfare programs, and women's empowerment. In 1981, she co-founded the Amman Baccalaureate School, Jordan's pioneering bilingual International Baccalaureate institution. Her commitment to inclusive education led her to establish the Centre for Special Education in 1974, followed by the Princess Sarvath Community College in 1980, which focused on providing vocational training opportunities for young women and individuals with disabilities.

As an accomplished sportswoman, Princess Sarvath became Jordan's first woman to achieve a black belt in taekwondo. She also served as Honorary President of the Jordanian Badminton Federation. Her humanitarian efforts were particularly notable during the 1991 Gulf War when she led an appeal that raised over $1 million in medical supplies for both Jordan and Iraq.

The royal succession changed in 1999 when King Hussein designated his son, Prince Abdullah, as heir apparent, concluding Prince Hassan's position as Crown Prince.

Princess Sarvath's contributions have received widespread international recognition. Her achievements have been honored with numerous awards, including the Woman of Peace Award in 1995, the Grand Cordon of the Renaissance in 1994, and Pakistan's Hilal-i-Imtiaz in 2002. Academic institutions have also acknowledged her work through honorary degrees from the University of Bath in 2015 and the University of New Brunswick.