MirOsman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VIIGCSIGBE (5[5] or 6 April 1886 – 24 February 1967)[6] was the last Nizam[7] (ruler) of the Princely State of Hyderabad, the largest princely state in British India. He ascended the throne on 29 August 1911, at the age of 25[8] and ruled the Kingdom of Hyderabad between 1911 and 1948, until India annexed it.[9] He was styled as His Exalted Highness (H.E.H) the Nizam of Hyderabad,[10] and was widely considered one of the world's wealthiest people of all time.[11] With some estimate placing his wealth at 2% of U.S. GDP,[11] his portrait was on the cover of Time magazine in 1937.[12] As a semi-autonomous monarch, he had his mint, printing his currency, the Hyderabadi rupee, and had a private treasury that was said to contain £100 million in gold and silver bullion, and a further £400 million of jewels (in 2008 terms).[11][13] The major source of his wealth was the Golconda mines, the only supplier of diamonds in the world at that time.[13][14][15] Among them was the Jacob Diamond, valued at some £50 million (in 2008 terms),[16][17][18] and used by the Nizam as a paperweight.[19]
The Nizam had refused to accede Hyderabad to India after the country's independence on 15 August 1947. He wanted his domains to remain an independent state or join Pakistan.[22] Later, he wanted his state to join India; however, his power had weakened because of the Telangana Rebellion and the rise of a radical militia known as the Razakars, whom he could not put down. In 1948, the Indian Army invaded and annexed Hyderabad State and defeated the Razakars.[23] The Nizam became the Rajpramukh of Hyderabad State between 1950 and 1956, after which the state was partitioned and became part of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.[24][25]
In 1951, he not only started the construction of Nizam Orthopedic Hospital (now known as Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS)) and gave it to the government on a 99-year lease for a monthly rent of Rs.1,[26] he also donated 14,000 acres (5,700 ha) of land from his estate to Vinobha Bhave's Bhoodan movement for re-distribution among landless farmers.[8][27]
On the recommendation of the Viceroy of India, Lord Elgin in 1898, in early 1899 Sir Brian Egerton (of the Egerton family and former tutor to Maharajah of Bikaner Ganga Singh) was appointed as Mir Osman Ali Khan's English tutor for two years.[3] During this period he lived away from the principal palace. He lived on his own to avoid the atmosphere of the palace quarters under the guidance of Sir Brian and other British officials and mentors so that he could flourish as a gentleman of the highest class. Sir Brian Egerton recorded that as a child, Mir Osman Ali Khan was magnanimous and "anxious to learn". Because of the indomitable attitude of zenana (the women) who were determined to send Mir Osman Ali Khan out of Hyderabad for further studies, he pursued them at Mayo College after consultation with the principal nobles of the Paigah family.[30][31]
Reign
The Nizam when he ascended the throne at 25 years of ageSilver coin: 1 rupee Hyderabad State, Mir Osman Ali Khan, 1913
Mir Mahboob Ali Khan The VI Nizam died on 29 August 1911 and on the same day Mir Osman Ali Khan was proclaimed Nizam VII under the supervision of Nawab Shahab Jung, a minister of Police and Public works.[32] On 18 September 1911, the crowning ceremony was officially held at the Chowmahalla Palace.
His coronation Durbar (court) included the prime minister of Hyderabad Maharaja Kishen Pershad, Colonel Alexander Pinhey (1911–1916) British resident of Hyderabad, the Paigah, and the distinguished nobles of the state and the head of principalities under Nizam domain.[3][30][33]
The famous mines of Golconda were the major source of wealth for the Nizams,[34] with the Kingdom of Hyderabad being the only supplier of diamonds for the global market in the 18th century.[34]
Mir Osman Ali Khan acceded as the Nizam of Hyderabad upon the death of his father in 1911. The state of Hyderabad was the largest of the princely states in colonial India. With an area of 86,000 square miles (223,000 km2), it was roughly the size of the present-day United Kingdom. The Nizam was the highest-ranking prince in India, was one of only five princes entitled to a 21-gun salute, held the unique title of "Nizam", and titled "His Exalted Highness" and "Faithful Ally of the British Crown".[35][failed verification]
Early years (1911 to 1918)
In 1908, three years before the Nizam's coronation, the city of Hyderabad was struck by a major flood that resulted in the death of thousands. The Nizam, on the advice of Sir M. Visvesvaraya, ordered the construction of two large reservoirs—the Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar—to prevent another flood.[36]
He was given the title of "Faithful Ally of the British Crown" after World War One because of his financial contribution to the British Empire's war effort.[37] Part of the reason behind his unique title of "His Exalted Highness" and other titles was due to the huge amounts of financial help that he provided the British amounting to nearly £25 million (£1,295,631,000 in 2024).[37] (For example, No. 110 Squadron RAF's original complement of Airco DH.9A aircraft were Osman Ali's gift. Each aircraft bore an inscription to that effect, and the unit became known as the "Hyderabad Squadron".)[38] He also paid for a Royal Navy vessel, the N-class destroyer, HMAS Nizam commissioned in 1940 and transferred to the Royal Australian Navy.[39]
In 1918, the Nizam issued a firman (decree) that established Osmania University, the first university to have Urdu as the language of instruction. The present campus was completed in 1934. The Firman also mentioned the university's detailed mission and objectives.[40] The establishment of Osmania University was highly lauded by Nobel Prize laureate Rabindranath Tagore who was overjoyed to see the day when Indians are "freed from the shackles of a foreign language and our education becomes naturally accessible to all our people".[37]
In 1919, the Nizam ordered the formation of the Executive Council of Hyderabad, presided over by Sir Sayyid Ali Imam, including eight other members, each in charge of one or more departments. The president of the Executive Council would also be the prime minister of Hyderabad.[citation needed]
The Begumpet Airport was established in the year 1930 with the eventual formation of Hyderabad Aero Club by the Nizam in 1936. Initially, Nizam's private airways the Deccan Airways, one of the earliest airlines in British India, used it as a domestic and international airport. The terminal building was constructed in 1937.[41] The first commercial flight took off from the airport in 1946.[42]
The Nizam arranged a matrimonial alliance with the deposed caliph Abdulmejid II whereby Nizam's first son Azam Jah would marry Princess Durrushehvar of the Ottoman Empire. It was believed that the matrimonial alliance between Nizam and Abdulmejid II would lead to the emergence of a Muslim ruler who could be acceptable to the world powers in place of the Ottoman Sultans. After India's Independence, the Nizam attempted to declare his sovereignty over the state of Hyderabad, either as a protectorate of the British Empire or as a sovereign monarchy. However, his power weakened because of the Telangana Rebellion and the rise of the Razakars, a radical Muslim militia who wanted Hyderabad to remain under Muslim rule. In 1948, India invaded and annexed Hyderabad State, and the rule of the Nizam ended. He became the Rajpramukh and served from 26 January 1950 to 31 October 1956.[43]
Contributions to society
Educational initiatives
By donating to major educational institutions throughout India, he introduced many educational reforms during his reign. Up to 11% of his budget was spent on education.[44] Schools, colleges and a Department for Translation were set up. Primary education was made compulsory and provided free for the poor.
The Nizam at the inauguration of the Osmania University Arts College, c. 1937
He founded the Osmania University in 1918 through a royal firman;[45] It is one of the largest universities in India. Schools, colleges and a Department for Translation were set up.[46]
In 1941, he started his bank, the Hyderabad State Bank. It was later renamed State Bank of Hyderabad and merged with the State Bank of India as the state's central bank in 2017. It was established on 8 August 1941 under the Hyderabad State Bank Act. The bank managed the Osmania Sicca (Hyderabadi rupee), the currency of the state of Hyderabad. It was the only state in India that had its currency, and the only state in British India where the ruler was allowed to issue currency. In 1953, the bank absorbed, by merger, the Mercantile Bank of Hyderabad, which Raja Pannalal Pitti had founded in 1935.[52][need quotation to verify]
In 1956, the Reserve Bank of India took over the bank as its first subsidiary and renamed it State Bank of Hyderabad (SBH). The Subsidiary Banks Act was passed in 1959. On 1 October 1959, SBH and the other banks of the princely states became subsidiaries of SBI. It merged with SBI on 31 March 2017.[53]
Flood prevention
After the Great Musi Flood of 1908, which killed an estimated 50,000 people, the Nizam constructed two lakes to prevent flooding—the Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar[21][54] named after himself, and his son Azam Jah respectively.[55]
Agricultural reforms
The Nizam founded agricultural research in the Marathwada region of Hyderabad State with the establishment of the Main Experimental Farm in 1918 in Parbhani. During his rule, agricultural education was available only at Hyderabad; crop research centres for sorghum, cotton, and fruits existed in Parbhani. After independence, the Indian government developed this facility further and renamed it Marathwada Agriculture University on 18 May 1972.[56]
Contribution to Indian aviation
India's first airport—the Begumpet Airport—was established in the 1930s with the formation of the Hyderabad Aero Club by the Nizam.
Initially, it was used as a domestic and international airport by Deccan Airways Limited, the first airline in British India. The airport terminal was constructed in 1937.[57]
Contribution to Indian National Defence
He also donated 1,525 acres of Land to "Sita Rama Swami Temple" located in Devaryamjal [61]
After hearing about the Golden Temple of Amritsar through Maharaja Ranjit Singh,[62][63] he started providing it with yearly grants.[64][65]
Donation towards the compilation of the Holy Mahabharata
In 1932, there was a need for money for the publication of the Holy Mahabharata by the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute located in Pune. A formal request was made to Mir Osman Ali Khan who granted Rs. 1000 per year for 11 years.[66]
He also gave Rs 50,000 for the construction of the institute's guest house[67] which stands today as the Nizam Guest House.[68][69]
In October 1962, during the Sino-Indian War, the PM Lal Bahadur Shastri visited Hyderabad and requested the Nizam to contribute to the National Defence Fund, set up in the wake of the Indo-Chinese skirmishes.[70][71] In response, the Nizam donated five tonnes (5,000 kg) of gold to the Indian army. In terms of today's gold price in the international market, this donation translates to Rs 22250000000.[72][73][74]
He also made large donations to many institutions in India and abroad with special emphasis given to educational institutions such as the Jamia Nizamia and the Darul Uloom Deoband.[78][79]
Restoration of Ajanta Ellora caves
During the early 1920s, the Ajanta site was in the territory of the princely state of the Hyderabad[80] and Osman Ali Khan (the Nizam of Hyderabad) appointed experts to restore the artwork, converted the site into a museum and built a road to enable tourists to come to the site.[80][81]
The Nizam's Director of Archaeology obtained the services of two experts from Italy, Professor Lorenzo Cecconi, assisted by Count Orsini, to restore the paintings in the caves. The Director of Archaeology for the last Nizam of Hyderabad said of the work of Cecconi and Orsini:
The repairs to the caves and the cleaning and conservation of the frescoes have been carried out on such sound principles and in such a scientific manner that these matchless monuments have found a fresh lease of life for at least a couple of centuries.[82]
After Indian independence in 1947, the country was partitioned into India and Pakistan. The princely states were left free to make whatever arrangement they wished with either India or Pakistan. The Nizam ruled over more than 16 million people and 82,698 square miles (214,190 km2) of territory when the British withdrew from the sub-continent in 1947.[83] But unlike the other princely states, the Nizam refused to sign the instrument of accession. Instead he opted to sign a 1-year standstill agreement agreed upon by the British, and signed by then viceroy Lord Mountbatten.[84] The Nizam refused to join either India or Pakistan, preferring to form a separate independent kingdom within the British Commonwealth of Nations.[83]
This proposal for independence was rejected by the British government, but the Nizam continued to explore it. Towards this end, he kept up open negotiations with the Government of India regarding the modalities of a future relationship while opening covert negotiations with Pakistan in a similar vein. The Nizam cited the Razakars as evidence that the people of the state were opposed to any agreement with India.[citation needed]
The one-year standstill agreement turned out to be a severe blow to Nizam as it gave all foreign affairs, communication and defence power to the Indian government. The new Indian government wasn't happy that a sovereign state would exist right at the centre of India.[85] In accordance to this, they ultimately decided to invade Hyderabad in 1948, in operation code-named Operation Polo. Under the supervision of Major General Jayanto Nath Chaudhuri, one division of the Indian Army and a tank brigade invaded and captured Hyderabad.[86] The annexation was over in just 109 hours or roughly 4 days. Due to no foreign connections and no real defence, the war was a losing cause for Hyderabad from the start. After the annexation the territory came under Indian rule and the Nizam was removed from his position but allowed to keep all personal wealth and title.[87]
The Nizam was so wealthy that he was portrayed on the cover of Time magazine on 22 February 1937, being described as the world's richest man.[88] At its peak, the wealth of Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII was worth ₹660 crore (US$83 million) (all his conceivable assets combined) in the early 1940s, while his entire treasure of jewels, would be worth between US$150 million and US$500 million variously in today's terms.[89][90][91][92] He used the Jacob Diamond, a 185-carat diamond that is part of the Nizam's jewellery, as a paperweight.[93] During his days as Nizam, he was reputed to be the richest man in the world, having a fortune estimated at US$2 billion in the early 1940s[94] ( US$37.3 billion in 2023 dollars)[95] or two per cent of the US economy then.[96]
The Nizam's personal fortune was estimated to be roughly £110 million, including £40 million in gold and jewels (equivalent to £2,265,847,176 in 2021)[97].[98][99]
Along with the Nizam's jewels, two Bari gold coins worth hundreds of crores were considered the rarest in the world. Himayat Ali Mirza has requested the central government to bring these coins, which were made in the Arabic script, back to Hyderabad.[101]
Gift to Queen Elizabeth II
In 1947, Nizam made a gift of diamond jewels, including a tiara and necklace, to the future Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of her marriage. The brooches and necklace were still worn by the Queen until her death and the necklace is known as the Nizam of Hyderabad necklace.[102]
Personal life
The Nizam with his heir apparent and grandson Mukarram Jah
The Nizam lived at King Kothi Palace—bought from a nobleman (Kamal Khan an architect of those times)—from age 13 until his death. He never moved to Chowmahalla Palace, even after his accession to the throne.[103]
Unlike his father, he was not interested in fine clothing or hunting. His hobbies rather included poetry and writing ghazals in Urdu.[104]
He revered his mother and visited her every day she was alive; he used to visit her grave almost every day after she died.[105]
Family
On 14 April 1906, at the age of 21, he first married Azam Unnisa Begum (Dulhan Pasha Begum), a daughter of the noble Nawab Jahangir Jung.[3][106] His first son Azam Jah married Durru Shehvar, (daughter of the Ottoman caliph Abdul Mejid II), while his second son Moazzam Jah married Niloufer, (a niece of the Ottoman sultan).[107][108]
Azam Jah and Durru Shehvar had two sons, Mukarram Jah and Muffakham Jah, with the former succeeding his grandfather as the de jure Nizam.[107]
His second son HH Moazzam Jah had three wives,[citation needed] the first being Princess Nilofer. Since Princess Niloufer couldn't bear a child, Moazzam Jah married Razia Begum and had three daughters - Princess Fatima Fouzia, Princess Amina Merzia and Princess Oolia Kulsum. Prince Moazzam Jah also married Anwari Begum and had a son, Prince Shahmat Jah.[120]
Various parties have used Nizam's name for political gains. Another great-grandson, Himayat Ali Mirza wrote to the prime minister in this regard along with the Election Commission of India, requesting political parties not to use Nizam's name in today's politics as it is disrespectful to such a great personality.[37][124]
The Nizams' daughters had been married traditionally to young men of the House of Paigah. This family belonged to the Sunni sect.[125]
Final years and death
The Nizam continued to stay at the King Kothi Palace until his death. He used to issue firmans on inconsequential matters in his newspaper, the Nizam Gazette.[103]
He died on Friday, 24 February 1967. In his will, he asked to be buried in Masjid-e Judi, a mosque where his mother was buried, that faced King Kothi Palace.[126][127] The government declared state mourning on 25 February 1967, the day when he was buried. State government offices remained closed as a mark of respect while the National Flag of India was flown at half-mast on all the government buildings throughout the state.[128] The Nizam Museum documents state:
"The streets and pavements of the city were littered with the pieces of broken glass bangles as an incalculable number of women broke their bangles in mourning, which Telangana women usually do as per Indian customs on the death of a close relative."[129]
"The Nizam's funeral procession was the biggest non-religious, non-political meeting of people in the history of India till that date."
Millions of people of all religions from different parts of the state entered Hyderabad in trains, buses and on bullocks for a last glimpse of their king in a coffin in the King Kothi Palace Camp in Hyderabad.[130] The crowd was so uncontrollable that barricades were installed alongside the road to enable people to move in a queue.[131] D. Bhaskara Rao, chief curator, of the Nizam's Museum stated that an estimated one million (1 million) people were part of the procession.[132]
Title and salutation
Salutation style
The Nizam was the honorary Colonel of the 20 Deccan Horse. In 1918, King George V elevated Nawab Mir Osman Ali Khan Siddiqi Bahadur from "His Highness" to "His Exalted Highness". In a letter dated 24 January 1918, the title "Faithful Ally of the British Government was conferred on him.[133][better source needed]
Full Titular Name
The titles during his life were:
1886–1911: Nawab Bahadur Mir Osman Ali Khan Siddiqi. [133]
1911–1912: His Highness Rustam-i-Dauran, Arustu-i-Zaman, Wal Mamaluk, Asaf Jah VII, Muzaffar ul-Mamaluk, Nizam ul-Mulk, Nizam ud-Daula, Nawab Mir Sir Osman ‘Ali Khan Siddqi Bahadur, Sipah Salar, Fath Jang, Nizam of Hyderabad, GCSI [133]
1912–1917: Colonel His Highness Rustam-i-Dauran, Arustu-i-Zaman, Wal Mamaluk, Asaf Jah VII, Muzaffar ul-Mamaluk, Nizam ul-Mulk, Nizam ud-Daula, Nawab Mir Sir Osman ‘Ali Khan Siddqi Bahadur, Sipah Salar, Fath Jang, Nizam of Hyderabad, GCSI [133]
1917–1918: Colonel His Highness Rustam-i-Dauran, Arustu-i-Zaman, Wal Mamaluk, Asaf Jah VII, Muzaffar ul-Mamaluk, Nizam ul-Mulk, Nizam ud-Daula, Nawab Mir Sir Osman ‘Ali Khan Siddqi Bahadur, Sipah Salar, Fath Jang, Nizam of Hyderabad, GCSI, GBE [133]
1918–1936: Lieutenant-General His Exalted Highness Rustam-i-Dauran, Arustu-i-Zaman, Wal Mamaluk, Asaf Jah VII, Muzaffar ul-Mamaluk, Nizam ul-Mulk, Nizam ud-Daula, Nawab Mir Sir Osman ‘Ali Khan Siddqi Bahadur, Sipah Salar, Fath Jang, Faithful Ally of the British Government, Nizam of Hyderabad, GCSI, GBE [133]
1936–1941: Lieutenant-General His Exalted Highness Rustam-i-Dauran, Arustu-i-Zaman, Wal Mamaluk, Asaf Jah VII, Muzaffar ul-Mamaluk, Nizam ul-Mulk, Nizam ud-Daula, Nawab Mir Sir Osman ‘Ali Khan Siddqi Bahadur, Sipah Salar, Fath Jang, Faithful Ally of the British Government, Nizam of Hyderabad and Berar, GCSI, GBE [133]
1941–1967: General His Exalted Highness Rustam-i-Dauran, Arustu-i-Zaman, Wal Mamaluk, Asaf Jah VII, Muzaffar ul-Mamaluk, Nizam ul-Mulk, Nizam ud-Daula, Nawab Mir Sir Osman ‘Ali Khan Siddqi Bahadur, Sipah Salar, Fath Jang, Faithful Ally of the British Government, Nizam of Hyderabad and Berar, GCSI, GBE.[133][134]
^Ali, Mir Quadir (17 September 2019). "Hyderabad's tryst with history". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 18 November 2020. The question now is: What exactly happened on September 17, 1948? [...] The Nizam's radio broadcast meant the lifting of the house arrest of Government of India's Agent General K.M. Munshi, allowing him to work on a new government, with the Nizam as Head of State.
^Benjamin B. Cohen, Kingship and Colonialism in India's Deccan, 1850–1948 (Macmillan, 2007) p81[need quotation to verify]
^Pagdi, Raghavendra Rao (1987) Short History of Banking in Hyderabad District, 1879-1950. In M. Radhakrishna Sarma, K.D. Abhyankar, and V.G. Bilolikar, eds. History of Hyderabad District, 1879-1950AD (Yugabda 4981-5052). (Hyderabad : Bharatiya Itihasa Sankalana Samiti), Vol. 2, pp.85-87.
^Karnataka State Gazetteer: Gulbarga. Director of Printing, Stationery and Publications at the Government Press. 1966. Archived from the original on 15 September 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
^ abc"Chapter II"(PDF). Shodh Ganga-Indian Electronic Thesises and Dissertations. p. 56. Archived(PDF) from the original on 15 September 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
^T, Uma (April 2003). "1". Accession of Hyderabad state to the Indian union: a study of the political and pressure groups (1945-1948) (PhD thesis). Department of History, School of Social Sciences, University of Hyderabad. p. 20. hdl:10603/1882. Archived from the original on 25 April 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2020 – via Shodh Ganga-Indian Electronic Thesises and Dissertations.
^Pagdi, Raghavendra Rao (1987) Short History of Banking in Hyderabad District, 1879–1950. In M. Radhakrishna Sarma, K.D. Abhyankar, and V.G. Bilolikar, eds. History of Hyderabad District, 1879-1950AD (Yugabda 4981–5052). (Hyderabad: Bharatiya Itihasa Sankalana Samiti), Vol. 2, pp.85–87.
^"Gifts of gold to help the Indian treasury". The Times. 14 December 1965.[need quotation to verify]
^Krishnan, Usha Ramamrutham Bala; Ramamrutham, Bharath (2001). Jewels of the Nizams. Department of Culture, Government of India. ISBN978-81-85832-15-9. Archived from the original on 15 September 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
^Paran Balakrishnan (23 February 2014). "Return of the Royals". The Telegraph. Kolkota. Archived from the original on 21 August 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
Jewels of the Nizams (Hardcover) by Usha R. Krishnan (Author) ISBN81-85832-15-3
Fabulous Mogul: Nizam VII of Hyderabad By Dosoo Framjee Karaka Published 1955 D. Verschoyle, Original from the University of Michigan Fabulous Mogul: Nizam VII of Hyderabad
The Seventh Nizam: The Fallen Empire By Zubaida Yazdani, Mary Chrystal ISBN0-9510819-0-X
The Last Nizam: The Life and Times of Mir Osman Ali Khan By V.K. Bawa, Basant K. Bawa ISBN0-670-83997-3
Raghavendra Rao, D (27 July 1926). Misrule of the Nizam: being extracts from and translations of articles regarding the administration of Mir Osman Ali Khan Bahadur, the Nizam of Hyderabad, Deccan. "Swarajya" Press. OCLC5067242.
Photographs of Lord Willingdon's visit to Hyderabad in the early 1930s. 27 July 1931. OCLC33453066.
