Hakim Ajmal Khan, born in 1864, is generally acknowledged to be the most significant name among the twentieth century Indian scholars and physicians of the Unani system of medicine. Not merely an able physician, he was distinguished litterateur, a true patriot, a thorough democrat, a veteran statesman and a great humanitarian.

Ajmal Khan came from the famous Sharif Khan family of Delhi-known after his great grandfather who made immense contribution in keeping alive the two age-old native medical systems-Unani Tibb and Ayurveda-in the country at a time when these systems were getting a serious blow from the British rulers.

He established the Hindustani Dawakhana at Delhi in  1905 to manufacture Unani and ayurvedic  medicines. Three years  later  he started a Unani Medical School for Women. But his cherished dream was realized with the setting up of Ayurvedic and Unani Tibbia College, Delhi, which was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi on 13th February, 1921.

Ajmal Khan played a positive role in the national freedom struggle, and worked in close association   with such national leaders as Mahatma Gandhi, Motilal Nehru, Lala Lajpat Rai, Swami Sharadhanand, Ali Brothers, Annie Besant and many others. He emerged to be a symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity. His involvement in the Independence struggle and Khilafat movement was total.

Although his services as a physician were recognised by the British Government as early as 1908, when he was honoured with the title of 'Haziq-ul-Mulk 'and the gold medal of 'Qaiser-e­Hind', Ajmal Khan returned  both  his title and the  gold  medal  to  the Government  when  he was at the zenith of his political activity in-1920. Mahatma  Gandhi commended  this courageous act of Ajmal Khan and none of his editorials in his paper 'Young India' observed: "It is the prelude to a general withdrawal of cooperation from the Government and its consequent paralysis". Some days later at the Jamiat-Ul­Ulema   Conference at Kanpur, the national leaders conferred upon Ajmal Khan the title of Masih-ul-Mulk. In 1921 he rose to become the President of Indian National  Congress.

Ajmal Khan breathed his last on 29th December 1927 after having lived a life of great feats. On his death Mahatma Gandhi wrote in 'Young India': He was a great Mussalman and an equally great Indian. He led  Hindus  and Mussalmans equally and was in turn equally respected and loved by both.

Ajmal Khan left the Indian people a truly immortal legacy in his deeds and became the guiding light for the coming generations.

The Deptt. of Posts is privileged to issue a commemorative stamp on Hakim Ajmal Khan in the series 'Freedom struggle of India'.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India