Quaid-e-Azam’s Mumbai House: The Forgotten Story of Jinnah House in Malabar Hill

Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah is remembered as the founder of Pakistan, but one of the most fascinating chapters of his life still stands in Mumbai, India — Jinnah House, also known as South Court Mansion, located in the elite area of Malabar Hill. Built in 1936 on around 2.5 acres at Mount Pleasant Road, now known as Bhausaheb Hirey Marg, this mansion was designed by British architect Claude Batley and became one of Jinnah’s most important personal residences. It was known for its elegant proportions, Italian marble work, walnut woodwork, sea-facing location, and a style influenced by European, Art Deco and Indo-Deco architecture. But Jinnah House is not just a beautiful old bungalow. It became a silent witness to some of the most important political conversations of the subcontinent, including meetings involving figures such as Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru during the years before Partition. After Partition, Jinnah moved to Karachi and the house entered a long and complicated chapter involving India, Pakistan, diplomatic use, heritage value, legal claims, and emotional legacy. It was leased to the British High Commission after 1948 and later became a disputed and largely unused heritage property. In this video on Idraak, we discuss the history, architecture, symbolism and legacy of Jinnah House — and why this one residence still matters for desi audiences on both sides of the border. This is not just a story of a building. It is a story of identity, memory, politics, loss, heritage and the complicated history we inherited.