The Aga Khan, a prominent figure in the Ismaili Muslim community, has died at 88, leaving behind a legacy of philanthropy, horse racing, and spiritual leadership.
Lisbon:
The Aga Khan passed away in Lisbon. He was 88 years old. He was famous for horse racing. People knew him for his wealth. He also did development work. The Aga Khan Development Network announced this on X.
The network will announce his successor later. He was the 49th Imam of Ismaili Muslims. There are 15 million Ismaili Muslims. His name was linked to racehorse success. Shergar was one of his famous horses.
He was a multi-millionaire. Some say he was a billionaire. He lived a luxurious life. He had private planes and a super-yacht. He also owned a private island.
His estimated wealth varied greatly. It ranged from $800 million to $13 billion. His money came from inheritance. It also came from horse breeding. He invested in tourism and real estate.
He traveled the world. He was a citizen of four countries. He helped people in poor areas. Poverty causes despair, he once stated. People may take any way out of it.
He assisted the poor through business. This, he stated, protects against extremism. He said this in a 2007 interview. It was with the New York Times.
Prince Shah Karim Al Husseini was born in Geneva. His birthdate was December 13, 1936. He spent his childhood in Nairobi, Kenya.
He went to Le Rosey School in Switzerland. He studied Islamic history at Harvard. That is in the United States.
His grandfather died in 1957. Then, he became the Imam at age 20. He led the Ismaili Muslims. They are a branch of Shia Islam.
His grandfather chose him as Imam. He chose him over Karim’s father. His father was Prince Aly Khan. Aly Khan was married to Rita Hayworth. She was a Hollywood actress.
Aga Khan means commanding chief. Ismailis believed he was a descendant. He descended from Prophet Mohammad. This was through Ali and Fatima. Ali was the first Imam. Fatima was the Prophet’s daughter.
He was the fourth to hold the title. The title was given in the 1830s. The emperor of Persia granted it. He gave it to Karim’s great-great-grandfather. Karim’s ancestor married the emperor’s daughter.
The role provides guidance. It guides the Ismaili community. They live across the world. They are in Central Asia, the Middle East, and South Asia. Some live in Africa, Europe, and North America.
His father died in 1960. He wondered about horse racing. It was a family tradition. He won a championship in his first season. After that, he was hooked on racing.
He loved it. It was a constant challenge. He described it as a game of chess. He played the game with nature. He said this in 2013. He spoke with Vanity Fair.
His horses had success. His riders wore green silks. Sea the Stars won big races. Sinndar also won the Epsom Derby.
Shergar was perhaps his most famous horse. Shergar won many races. In 1983, Shergar was kidnapped. It happened in Ireland. He disappeared from a stud farm.
A ransom was demanded. Suspects included the mafia. Muammar Gaddafi and the IRA were suspects. Nobody paid the money. They never found the horse.
He started the Aga Khan Development Network in 1967. It helps build schools and hospitals. It provides electricity for millions. It does this in Africa and Asia. 80,000 people work there.
He mixed development with business. He owned a pharmaceutical company. He also owned a bank in Uganda. He even owned a fishnet factory.
He bridged many divides. These were spiritual and material divides. The divides were between East and West. He also bridged Muslim and Christian divides. Vanity Fair wrote this in 2013.
He married Sarah Croker Poole in 1969. She was a British model. They had three children. They divorced in 1995.
He married Gabriele zu Leiningen in 1998. She was born in Germany. They had one son. They divorced in 2014.
(This story was not edited by NDTV staff.)
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