By ZULFIKAR PYARALI BANDALI JAFFER
(Toronto, Canada)

[Over the years, Barakah has published rare and historic photographs of the Aga Khans and their family, sourced from private collections. We sincerely thank Toronto’s Zulfikar Pyarali Bandali Jaffer for this contribution and encourage our global readers to explore their photo collections and share their treasured images with us — Ed.]

The modern foundations of educational development in the Ismaili community were laid by the 48th Hereditary Ismaili Imam, Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan III, whose leadership and vision inspired the establishment of several schools in Africa and South Asia during the first half of the 20th century. The Aga Khan Schools continued to grow under his successor, Mawlana Shah Karim Aga Khan IV, and now form part of the Aga Khan Education Services (AKES). Their ancestors, the Fatimids, founded Al-Azhar University in Cairo 1,000 years ago.

The first Aga Khan School in Kampala, Uganda, was among the schools established by the 48th Imam. Its origins date to 1945, when Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah visited Kampala shortly after his Diamond Jubilee.

During the visit, my late father, Pyarali Bandali Jaffer, who was later bestowed the title of Vazir by the Imam, made a donation on behalf of the Bandali Jaffer family, which directly contributed to the school’s establishment. Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah graciously accepted the donation and emphasized that he wanted the school to uphold the highest standards, including the best-qualified teachers and sporting facilities.

The school’s foundation was laid by Prince Aly Khan in February 1951. Additional donations followed, and the school included a boys’ hostel, teachers’ quarters, cricket and football grounds, a gymnasium, and a theatre, among other educational and recreational facilities.

Notably, Mawlana Shah Karim, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, visited the school during his Imamat whenever he toured Uganda, with his first visit occurring during his Takhtnishini in 1957.

In February 2026, the school celebrated its 75th anniversary. I am humbled to share photos from my family archives of the school, featuring Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah, his son Prince Aly Khan, and Mawlana Shah Karim. The brief captions recount the events as best I can remember them, and I ask readers’ forgiveness for any oversights or errors.

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Date posted: June 30, 2026.

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About the contributor: Zulfikar Jaffer, son of Vazir Pyarali Bandali Jaffer, was born in Uganda in 1947. He completed his ‘O’ levels at the newly built Aga Khan School, Kampala in 1963, which was also the year of his father’s death. Unable to pursue further education, he joined his family business. Mawlana Shah Karim, accompanied by Princess Salimah, opened Zulfikar’s Fairway Hotel during his visit to Kampala in 1972. Zulfikar arrived in Canada in October 1972 as a refugee and has lived in Toronto since.

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