Pune Mourns the Loss of Aga Khan IV, Spiritual Leader of the Ismaili Community
Pune, 6th February 2025: Pune was enveloped in sorrow on Wednesday following the passing of Prince Karim Al-Hussaini, better known as Aga Khan IV, the 49th hereditary imam of the Ismaili Muslim community. The Aga Khan’s death has left an irreplaceable void for his followers in the city and around the world.
The Aga Khan, who served as the spiritual leader of approximately 12 million Ismailis globally, had a deep bond with Pune, where an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 of his followers reside. His philanthropic legacy has had a profound and lasting impact on the community, both locally and internationally.
In Pune, the Aga Khan’s contributions remain especially significant. In 1969, he donated the iconic Aga Khan Palace and its expansive grounds to the Indian government. The palace, a national heritage site, is home to a museum dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi and Gandhian principles, making it an important cultural and historical landmark.
The palace, originally commissioned by his grandfather, Aga Khan III, in 1892, was built to provide employment to people suffering from the famine that had affected Pune’s district. It also holds a special place in India’s freedom struggle. The palace was used to imprison Mahatma Gandhi during the 1942 Quit India Movement. It is here that Gandhi’s wife, Kasturba, and his secretary, Mahadev Desai, passed away. Both have their samadhis (memorials) on the palace grounds, and some of Gandhi’s ashes are also interred there.
The Aga Khan’s philanthropic contributions and his deep connection with Pune and its people will continue to be remembered as his legacy endures in the hearts of his followers and the city itself.
