Asaf Ali | |
|---|---|
 Asaf Ali c. 1909 | |
| Ambassador of India to Switzerland | |
| In office 1952 – 2 April 1953 | |
| Prime Minister | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| Preceded by | Dhirajlal Bhulabhai Desai |
| Succeeded by | Y. D. Gundevia |
| 2nd Governor of Odisha | |
| In office 18 July 1951 – 6 June 1952 | |
| Chief Minister | Nabakrushna Choudhuri |
| Preceded by | V. P. Menon(Acting) |
| Succeeded by | Fazal Ali |
| In office 21 June 1948 – 5 May 1951 | |
| Chief Minister | Harekrushna Mahatab Nabakrushna Choudhuri |
| Preceded by | Kailash Nath Katju |
| Succeeded by | V. P. Menon(Acting) |
| 1stAmbassador of India to the United States | |
| In office 1947–1948 | |
| Prime Minister | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| Preceded by | Office Established |
| Succeeded by | Benegal Rama Rau |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 May 1888 Bijnor,North-Western Provinces,British India |
| Died | 2 April 1953(1953-04-02) (aged 64) Bern,Switzerland |
| Spouse | |
| Alma mater | St. Stephen's College, Delhi |
| Occupation | Lawyer, Activist |
Asaf Ali (11 May 1888[1] – 2 April 1953) was anIndian independence activist and noted lawyer. He was the firstIndian Ambassador to the United States. He also served as theGovernor ofOdisha.
Asaf Ali was educated atSt. Stephen's College, Delhi. He was called to bar fromLincoln's Inn inEngland.
In 1914, the British declaration of war against theOttoman Empire had a large effect on the Indian Muslim community. Asaf Ali supported the Ottomans and resigned from thePrivy Council. He saw this as an act of non-cooperation and returned to India in December 1914. Upon his return to India, Asaf Ali became heavily involved in the nationalist movement.
He was elected to theCentral Legislative Assembly in 1935 as a member of theMuslim Nationalist Party. He then became significant as a Congress member and was appointed deputy leader.[2]
The last of several spells of imprisonment which Asaf Ali courted during the freedom movement was in the wake of the 'Quit India' resolution adopted by the All India Congress Committee in August 1942. He was detained at Ahmednagar Fort jail along with Jawaharlal Nehru and other members of the Congress Working Committee.[3]
He was in charge of theRailways andTransport in theInterim Government of India headed by Jawaharlal Nehru from 2 September 1946. He served as the firstIndian Ambassador to the United States from February 1947 to mid-April 1947.
Asaf Ali was first Indian Ambassador to United States. He was appointed governor of Odisha for two terms and later, Indian Ambassador to Switzerland.
Asaf Ali rose to become one of the most respected lawyers in the country.[4] He defendedBatukeshwar Dutt as a lawyer.[5]
In 1945, Ali came to be the convener of theINA defence team established by the Congress for the defense of the officers of the Indian National Army charged with treason later in November 1945.[6]
Bhagat Singh was charged with attempt to murder under section 307 of the Indian Penal Code. Asaf Ali, a member of the Congress Party was his lawyer.[7]
In 1928, he marriedAruna Asaf Ali, a marriage that raised eyebrows on the grounds of religion (Asaf Ali was aMuslim while Aruna was aHindu) and age difference (Aruna was 20 years junior to him). She is widely remembered for hoisting the Indian National Congress flag at theGowalia Tank maidan in Bombay during theQuit India Movement, 1942. Later Aruna Asaf Ali was honored with India's highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna, for her work.[8]
Ali died in office inBern on 2 April 1953,[9] while serving as India's ambassador to Switzerland. In 1989,India Post brought out a stamp in his honor.[3]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by None | Indian Ambassador to the United States 1947–1948 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
