Aga Khan III was the only son of Aga Khan II, the 47th Imam of the Nizari Ismaili religion. He succeeded his father as the 48th Imam and also served as the first president of the political party All-India Muslim League (AIML). Throughout his career, he protected the rights of Muslims in India, especially during the British rule. Khan proposed the 'Two Nation Theory' and demanded a separate nation for Muslims within India. Born in Karachi (now Pakistan), he was brought up in a noble family. He received an education that combined both Islamic as well as western elements. Khan studied at the boarding school Eton and later attended the University of Cambridge. He succeeded his father as Imam at the mere age of eight. Eventually, he attained a leading position among Indian Muslims. He served as the president of League of Nations from 1937 to 1938. Khan was also popular as a breeder of thoroughbred racehorses. He died in 1957 and was succeeded by his grandson Aga Khan IV.
