Durdana Ansari
British entrepreneur and public speaker (born 1960)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Durdana Ansari OBE (born 1 March 1960)[2][3] is a British entrepreneur, public speaker and activist for female empowerment.[4] She is a former charity director, journalist, presenter and producer at the BBC World Service.[5]
- BBC The World Today
- BBC Outlook
- BBC Meridian
- BBC English Teaching Programme
- BBC Urdu Service
Durdana Ansari | |
|---|---|
Durdana Ansari | |
| Born | 1 March 1960 |
| Education | Birkbeck, University of London |
| Notable credits |
|
| Children | 4 |
| Relatives | Asim Azhar (nephew)[1] |
Early life
Durdana Ansari was born in Bahawalpur, Pakistan, then grew up in Islamabad. She moved to London where she received her degree in media and journalism from Birkbeck University.[4]
Career
Ansari spent 22 years producing, directing, and interviewing for the BBC World Service.[6] She received an Order of the British Empire in 2012 for creating an economic development program for Muslim women.[6][2][7]
Her BBC programmes included The World Today (radio programme), Asian Network (Urdu), Outlook, Meridian, English Teaching Programme, and BBC Urdu Service.[citation needed]
Ansari was appointed as an Honorary Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy in 2018, she was promoted in 2019 to Honorary Commander;[8] and once more in 2021 to Honorary Captain, becoming the first Muslim to reach the rank.[9]
Ansari established The Pearl Foundation to teach functional spoken English, reading, writing and computer skills to British-Muslim women.[10]
She also serves as a brand ambassador to Mirpur University of Science & Technology (MUST), the Swat Relief Initiative (SRI), and as a trustee for ‘Quest for Education’ (QFE).[11][12]
Ansari has also participated in the Imran Khan Cancer Hospital, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Islamic Relief, and Helping Hands.[citation needed][13]