P. Khalifulla Sahib

Dewan Khan Bahadur P. Khalifullah (1888–1950), was a politician of the Madras Presidency, British India, He was the first muslim minister of Madras Presidency Province, served as the minister for public works in the short-lived ministry of Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu from April–July 1937. He was belonging to the Rowther community, and his father (T.A. Pitchai Rowther) was a wealthy businessman of Tiruchirapalli. Born in 1888 in Tiruchi into a wealthy rice merchant's family, his birth name was Mohamed Pichai Rowther Ibrahim Khalifullah. He went on to be known by the honorific Khan Bahadur, a title bestowed on him by the British. In later years, his work as the Dewan of Pudukkottai State made him more popular as ‘Dewan Khalifullah.’

Early life

P. Khalifullah's early education was in present-day Tiruchirappalli, and then he did his post-graduation at Madras University. He is thought to be the first south Indian Muslim to obtain a master's degree in 1913. "My father was a man of vision, and was very keen to educate all his sons," says Kutbuddin, his youngest son. "Being educated then was a way to help others in life."

P. Khalifullah decided to study law soon after and sailed for Britain. But it was to be a tragic sojourn as he had to return to India within a month to attend his father's funeral. "The outbreak of the First World War in 1914 put paid to my father’s plans to study law in Britain, so he completed his studies in Madras Law College in 1929 and became an advocate in the Madras High Court," says Kutbuddin.