G. M. Banatwala

Gulam Mehmood Banatwalla (15 August 1933 – 25 June 2008), also spelled as Banatwala, was an Indian politician and social worker from Mumbai.[1][2] Banatwalla, a "firebrand orator" and intellectual, was regarded as the pan-India face of the Indian Muslim community.[3][4]

Gulam Mehmood Banatwalla
G. M. Banatwalla
Born	(1933-08-15)15 August 1933 Bombay (British India)
Died	25 June 2008(2008-06-25) (aged 74) Mumbai
Education	MCom
Alma mater	Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics, Bombay S. T. College, Bombay
Occupation	Social worker Politician
Spouse(s)	Ayesha Banatwalla
Parents	Haji Noor Mohamed (father) Ayesha (mother)

Banatwalla was born in Bombay, in then-British India, to Haji Noor Mohamed and Ayesha in a Cutchi Memon family.[1] He studied at Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics and S.T. College, Bombay.[1] He married Ayesha in February 1960.[1]

He was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in 1967 (Umerkhadi, Bombay).[1] He later served seven terms in the Loksabha, from Ponnani in Kerala, between 1977 – 1989 and 1996 – 2004.[1][5] He also served as the national president of Indian Union Muslim League from 1993 to 2008.[1] He was a member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board.[1]

Banatwalla never spoke Malayalam and addressed the people of Kerala in English.[3][6] Banatwalla, aged 74, died on 25 June 2008. He had no children.[2][3]