Many people know Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini as the leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution in 1979. But very few know that his family originally came from a small village in India. His grandfather, Syed Ahmed Musavi, was born in Kintoor, a village near Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh, India, in the early 1800s.

Kintoor is known as a centre for Shia Muslim learning and has a long history of religious scholarship. From there, Syed Ahmed Musavi moved to Najaf in Iraq, one of the holiest cities for Shia Muslims. He later settled in the Iranian city of Khomein in 1834. That’s where the family name “Khomeini” comes from.

Even after moving to Iran, Khomeini's grandfather used the title "Hindi", meaning "Indian", to show his Indian roots. This title is also recorded in Iranian documents. Many believe that Syed Ahmed Musavi’s deep faith and interest in religion played a big role in shaping Khomeini’s spiritual journey.

A simple life of a powerful leader

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini became the first Supreme Leader of Iran after leading the 1979 Islamic Revolution. He overthrew Iran’s former Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who had close ties with the West. After removing the Shah, Khomeini established the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Even though he held the highest political and religious position in the country, Khomeini lived a very simple life. He stayed in a small, one-storey house in Tehran, Iran’s capital. The house was not fancy at all and still remains plain today, unlike the luxurious homes of past rulers like the Shah.

This modest house was actually given to him for free by a man named Sayyid Mahdi Imam Jamah. But Khomeini still paid him 1,000 riyals for it, showing his honesty and values. The house had two small rooms, and later, a hallway was built where he could meet visitors and give speeches.

Khomeini was against using public money for personal use. When some supporters offered to decorate his house with tiles, he refused. He believed that money should not be spent on leaders’ luxury.

He passed away in 1989, but his legacy remains strong in Iran. His teachings continue to guide the Islamic Republic today. His successor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is now Iran’s current Supreme Leader.

Khomeini is remembered not just as a political figure but also as a deeply spiritual man with strong values, and a surprising ancestral link to India.

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