How does Saba manage assets worth thousands of crores of rupees?

Bangla Press Desk: While Bollywood stars Saif Ali Khan and Soha Ali Khan are frequently seen on screen, their sister Saba Ali Khan has always remained away from the limelight. She did not choose acting as a profession; however, her role in upholding the family legacy is no less significant than that of her siblings. In fact, Saba oversees a crucial portion of the Bhopal Nawab family's vast assets and heritage, valued at thousands of crores of rupees. Recently, in an interview with *SheThePeople TV*, Saba Pataudi spoke about this responsibility, revealing that it was her father—the late Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, known in the cricketing world as ‘Tiger Pataudi’—who personally entrusted her with the task of carrying forward the family legacy.In an interview, Saba was asked if the financial value of this family legacy exceeded ₹1,000 crore; she confirmed that it did. However, for her, this responsibility goes beyond merely safeguarding assets or managing finances; it is deeply intertwined with religious traditions, public welfare, and service to the community.
Saba currently serves as the *Mutawalli* (custodian or manager) of the ‘Auqaf-e-Shahi’ Trust. Her role involves overseeing various properties and assets belonging to this trust, which is associated with the Nawab family of Bhopal. Her grandmother, Sajida Sultan, and her father, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, were also associated with this trust.
Saba explains that the trust’s initiatives extend to arranging accommodation for Hajj pilgrims in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. Traditional guesthouses, known as *Rubats*, are established there to ensure comfortable lodging for pilgrims traveling from Bhopal; this process entails various tasks, including the acquisition of buildings.
Saba also manages the maintenance and administration of mosques and other structures under the trust. She emphasizes that while these activities require substantial funds, the money is neither used for personal purposes nor repatriated to India to be enjoyed as private wealth; the family's connection to the institution is rooted in tradition.According to Saba, her father decided to entrust this responsibility to her because he believed she was best suited to manage the family legacy. Despite operating in a male-dominated environment, she has held her ground. Saba says, "They respect me because they know I am dedicated to my work and cannot be easily intimidated."
Saba also mentions that several legal cases regarding the family's Bhopal estate are still pending in court. Once these complexities are resolved, she plans to work for the welfare of women and children. She intends to establish a school for girls and a hospital for women, as well as initiate programs to make rural women financially self-reliant.

To understand the nature of Saba's responsibilities, one must look back at the history of the Pataudi and Bhopal Nawab families. Her grandmother, Sajida Sultan, was the daughter of Nawab Hamidullah Khan, the last ruler of Bhopal. Hamidullah Khan served as the Nawab of Bhopal until his death in 1960. After his eldest daughter, Abida Begum, moved to Pakistan in 1950, his younger daughter Sajida inherited the responsibility for the family's assets and titles. Various reports estimate the value of this estate to be over ₹15,000 crore.Sajida Sultan married Iftikhar Ali Khan, the Nawab of Pataudi. Their son, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, was a renowned Indian cricketer who married actress Sharmila Tagore; the couple had three children—Saif, Soha, and Saba. Thus, the legacies of two Nawab families have converged in the history of this family.
Saba, however, has carved out a distinct identity for herself. Although she did not pursue a career in acting, the significant responsibility of preserving her family's heritage and assets has brought her into the spotlight. Recently, she opened up about her health struggles on her sister Soha Ali Khan’s YouTube channel. A brain tumor was detected when she was just 27 years old. Reflecting on the moment her life changed upon learning that surgery was necessary, Saba noted that while such an ordeal can shatter a person from within, it also instills the strength to fight back. Source: prothomalo
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