Sunday, August 9, 2015

What was Malala's mother's father's name in I Am Malala?

Malala's maternal grandfather's name was Janser Khan. He is mentioned several times in Chapter 1 of I Am Malala. We aren't told very much about Janser Khan, but we are given a few details.
We learn, for example, that he didn't get along well with Malala's paternal grandfather, so much so that he initially refused Malala's father's proposal to marry his daughter. He finally agreed, however, nine months later, seemingly because he got to know and like Malala's father, who would visit Janser Khan's hujra along with other people in the community to talk about politics. Malala says that her maternal grandfather's hujra was "a gathering place for people to talk politics," and that her father was "often there."
We also learn that when he was a boy of only nine years, Janser Khan was locked up "because of a tribal feud with another family." Janser's mother walked "forty miles alone over mountains" to free her son.
Malala also tells us that her maternal grandfather chose her mother's name, Tor Pekai, after hearing it on Radio Afghanistan.

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