His full name was quite mouthful and could hardly ring a bell to many; His Highness Prince Karim Al-Hussaini Aga Khan IV.
But to millions of people all over the world, he was simply the Aga Khan, or 'Commanding Chief', a hereditary title given to the 46th Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, Hasan Ali Shah Aga Khan by Fath Ali Shah, a 19th Century monarch.
It was the late Queen Elizabeth who gave him Aga Khan the title "His Highness" in 1957, following the tradition of honoring his predecessors. In his death, the world lost one of the most famous philanthropists whose work touched every sector of life.
One line in his death announcement by the Diwan of the Ismaili Imamat encapsulates the guiding vision of the Aga Khan: "His Highness dedicated his life to improving the living conditions of the community and the peoples of the countries in which they live, irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity or religion." The words aptly describe the man who founded one of the world's largest private development organisations to serve the most underserved and fragile communities.
