Who was Bibi-ji? Image The Usher Engage room in the Usher Building is dedicated to the memory of a passionate advocate for education, Mrs Bhagwanti Kaur Bhopal, known as Bibi-ji (b. 15th June 1925, d. 30th August 2010).A lifelong regret of Mrs Bhagwanti Kaur Bhopal, respectfully known as Bibi-ji, was her lack of any schooling. In Punjabi and Hindi, Bibi-ji is a commonly used term to respectfully and lovingly address women, especially mothers and grandmothers.Bibi-ji championed education for her family and other people. Seven of her nine children graduated from British universities.The Usher Engage room, which focuses on outreach education, is a fitting recognition of Bibi-ji’s, and other mothers’, passion for learning. It reminds us of the power of education to transform lives for the better.Emeritus Professor Raj and Mrs Roma Bhopal, her son and daughter-in-law respectively, have made a donation towards the costs of running an outreach education programme within the Usher Institute. This article was published on 2024-09-24