Durdana Ansari

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Durdana Ansari
OBE
Durdana Ansari
Born (1960-03-01) 1 March 1960 (age 64)
Bahawalpur, Pakistan
NationalityBritish Pakistani
EducationBirkbeck, University of London
Notable credits
  • BBC The World Today
  • BBC Outlook
  • BBC Meridian
  • BBC English Teaching Programme
  • BBC Urdu Service
Children4
RelativesAsim Azhar (nephew)[1]

Durdana Ansari OBE (born 1 March 1960)[2][3] is a British entrepreneur, public speaker and activist for female empowerment.[4] She is a former charity director, journalist, presenter and producer at the BBC World Service.[5]

Early life

Durdana Ansari was born in Bahawalpur, Pakistan, then grew up in Islamabad. She moved to London where she received her degree in media and journalism from Birkbeck University.[4]

Career

Ansari spent 22 years producing, directing, and interviewing for the BBC World Service.[6] She received an Order of the British Empire in 2012 for creating an economic development program for Muslim women.[6][2][7]

Her BBC programmes included The World Today (radio programme), Asian Network (Urdu), Outlook, Meridian, English Teaching Programme, and BBC Urdu Service.[citation needed]

Ansari was appointed as an Honorary Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy in 2018, she was promoted in 2019 to Honorary Commander;[8] and once more in 2021 to Honorary Captain, becoming the first Muslim to reach the rank.[9]

Ansari established The Pearl Foundation to teach functional spoken English, reading, writing and computer skills to British-Muslim women.[10]

She also serves as a brand ambassador to Mirpur University of Science & Technology (MUST), the Swat Relief Initiative (SRI), and as a trustee for ‘Quest for Education’ (QFE).[11][12]

Ansari has also participated in the Imran Khan Cancer Hospital, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Islamic Relief, and Helping Hands.[citation needed][13]

Personal life

Durdana has four children, 2 boys and 2 girls. Her first child, Amina Art Ansari, is an artist with paintings of the British royal family hanging in Windsor Castle.[14][15]

Awards and honours

  • 2012 Order of the British Empire (OBE)[16]
  • 2018 Honorary Commander Royal Navy[4]
  • 2021 Honorary Captain Royal Navy[17]

References

  1. ^ "Asim Azhar is proud of aunt for becoming Royal Navy captain". 14 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b "New Year honours list: OBEs". The Guardian. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  3. ^ Din, Naya. "Meet the British Royal Navy's first Muslim honourary [sic] commander". SAMAA. Archived from the original on 17 January 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  4. ^ a b c "Durdana Ansari Appointed As First Muslim Commander In British Royal Navy". UK44. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  5. ^ Farooq, Usman. "The Pakistan Achievement Awards, UK and Europe, 2014". eBuzz Today. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  6. ^ a b London, My (31 December 2011). "Journalist made an OBE for services to Muslim women". My London News. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  7. ^ Masood, Tooba (10 April 2012). "Pakistani journalist: Durdana Ansari, OBE, takes time out for Karachi over a cup of tea". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 11 April 2012.
  8. ^ "Navy News September 2018". Newspaper of the Royal Navy. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  9. ^ "Durdana Ansari becomes first Muslim captain of the British Royal Navy". BOL News. 14 July 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  10. ^ Usman, Maryam (17 November 2015). "Charity starts Pakistan operations". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  11. ^ "Quest for Education Board of Trustees". Quest for Education. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  12. ^ "Board Members". SWAT Relief Initiative. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  13. ^ London, My (31 December 2011). "Journalist made an OBE for services to Muslim women". MyLondon. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  14. ^ Yawari, Musa. "I take out anger and sadness through art". BBC News. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  15. ^ "British Pakistani Artist Amna Ansari maker her mark in international arena". Times of Islamabad. 8 December 2019. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  16. ^ Mirza, Qaiser. "Durdana Ansari, recipient of OBE (Most Excellence Order of British Empire)". Siasat Pakistan. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  17. ^ "Durdana Ansari becomes first Muslim captain of the British Royal Navy". BOL News. 14 July 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
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