Sikandar Begum
| Sikandar Begum | |
|---|---|
| Nawab of Bhopal | |
| Reign | 30 September 1860 – 30 October 1868 |
| Predecessor | Shah Jahan Begum (first reign) |
| Successor | Shah Jahan Begum (second reign) |
| Regent of Bhopal | |
| Regency | 1844–1860 |
| Monarch | Shah Jahan Begum |
| Born | Sikandar Begum 10 September 1817 Gauhar Mahal, Bhopal State, British India (present-day Madhya Pradesh, India) |
| Died | 30 October 1868 (aged 51) Moti Mahal, Bhopal State, British India (present-day Madhya Pradesh, India) |
| Burial | Farhat Afza Bagh, Bhopal |
| spouse | Jahangir Mohammad Khan |
| Issue | Shah Jahan Begum |
| Father | Nasir Mohammad Khan |
| Mother | Qudsia Begum, Begum of Bhopal |
| Religion | Islam |
Sikander Begum GCSI (10 September 1817 – 30 October 1868) was the Nawab of Bhopal from 1860 until her death in 1868. Although she was initially appointed regent of her nine-year old daughter Shah Jahan Begum in 1844, she was recognized as nawab in 1860. During the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny, Sikandar's pro-British stance made her a Knight Grand Commander. In 1863, she was the first Indian ruler to perform Hajj. Sikandar enacted many reforms in the state, including the creation of a mint, a secretariat, a parliament and a modern judiciary.