[3] Begum was married to her cousin, but soon divorced and returned to her father's house along with her infant son.
[2][4] During this period she became inspired by the Meerut Conspiracy Case, the judicial process against the Indian communist leadership.
[2] In 1933 Begum went to Great Britain with her son, to study Montessori teaching course there.
[2][4] She became active in the Congress Socialist Party in Allahabad, where she organized railway coolies, press workers and peasants.
[5] Begum was one of the founders of the National Federation of Indian Women and former General Secretary from 1954 to 1962.