Shabnam Hashmi Biography 
Shabnam Hashmi is a social activist and human rights campaigner who works towards communal harmony. She is married to Gauhar Raza, an Indian scientist from Aligarh, also known as an Urdu poet, social activist and documentary filmmaker. Her brother Safdar Hashmi was a communist playwright and director of street plays who was murdered in 1989 while performing a stage play. He is widely regarded as a prominent voice of political theatre in India. Shabnam was also married to a left liberal family in Aligarh. Shabnam is one of the founders of ANHAD (Act Now for Harmony and Democracy) and remained as an administrator for many years. When names of 1000 women globally were listed for Nobel Prize in peace in 2005, her name was shortlisted at the 91st position.
Shabnam Hashmi was born in 1957. Her social activism started in 1991 when she started campaigning about adult literacy in 1981. Known for combating communal and fundamentalist forces within the country since late 1980s, most of her works are concentrated in Indian states – Gujarat, Kashmir, Bihar and Mewat area of Haryana. She started concentrating on the state of Gujarat after infamous Gujarat riots of 2002. She has always campaigned against communalism, terrorism and violation of human rights. She has also focussed on subjects like political participation of women, gender equality, women empowerment, secularism, dalit rights etc.
She has worked for more than 20 years to combat communalism in India. She is also associated with Sahmat, started by a few artists and intellectuals in memory of her activist brother, who was murdered while performing a street play in 1989. NGO Act Now for Harmony and Democracy (Anhad) was born in March 2003 soon after the outbreak of Gujarat riots of 2002. This NGO works with limited funds.
Published: February 19, 2019
Updated: February 19, 2019
