Khurshed Alam Khan was born on 5 February 1919 in Pitaura, Kaimganj, Farrukhabad District of Uttar Pradesh into a Muslim family of Pashtun descent, tracing their lineage to the Afridi and Kheshgi Tribes of Afghanistan.

[4] After his early education, he joined the Agra University as a student of St. John's College, where, he obtained bachelor's and master's degree in History.

It was through the efforts of Khan that Parliament enacted a Law whereby the Jamia Millia Islamia became an independent University.

He was a Member of the Union Council of ministers and has handled various portfolios, namely, External Affairs, Tourism, Civil Aviation, Textiles and Commerce.

The areas of special interest to Khurshed Alam Khan were education, tourism, transport and urban development.

Khurshed Alam Khan was the son-in-law of Dr. Zakir Hussain, the third President of India, married to his older daughter, Saeeda Khurshid.