The Suhrawardy family with over nine hundred years of recorded history has been one of the oldest leading noble families and political dynasties of the Indian subcontinent and is regarded as an important influencer during the Bengali Renaissance. The family has produced many intellectuals who have contributed substantially in the fields of politics, education, literature, art, poetry, socio-religious and social reformation. Numerous members of the family, both biological descendants and those married into the family, have had prolific careers as politicians, lawyers, judges, barristers, artists, academicians, social workers, activists, writers, public intellectuals, ministers, educationists, statesmen, diplomats and social reformers.