Srinagar, July 11 :     The grand old lady of Kashmir's national movement, Begum Akbar Jehan, died this morning. She was 84. Known as Madr-e-Meherban (kind mother), Begum Jehan was the widow of Sheikh Abdullah and mother of chief minister Farooq Abdullah. She is survived by two other sons and two daughters. Farooq was attending the police passing-out parade at Reasi when the Begum died around 10 am of cardiac arrest at the chief minister's residence on Gupkar Road. All official engagements have been deferred. The National Conference meeting to decide whether the party will remain a part of the coalition at the Centre following the rejection of the autonomy proposal has also been postponed. Born in 1916 in the family of Michael Harry Nedu, an European settler who converted to Islam after marrying into a local Gujjar family, Begum Jehan married Sheikh Abdullah in 1933. The Begum shot into the limelight when she spearheaded the 'Quit Kashmir' movement while Sheikh Abdullah was imprisoned by Maharaja Hari Singh. She proved an able organiser when she successfully mobilised the people during the movement. In the absence of her jailed husband, Begum Jehan received Mahatma Gandhi at Soura when he visited the Valley in 1947. Gandhi began his public meeting in Srinagar only after Begum Jehan r