Hyderabad state was the largest independent state
in India when we attained independence. The Nizam’s territory consisted of all
the districts of Telangana, 4 districts of Karnataka & 4 Marathi speaking
districts of the Aurangabad region. Its land area was about 223,000 Sq. Km. and
it had a population of 1.60 crores or 4.6% of India’s population of 35 crores at
the time of independence. J&K too had an area of over 200,000 Sq.Km but
only had a population of 40 lacs. In comparison, the composite AP state had an
area of 274,000 Sq. Km.
In 1947 princely states covered 40% of the land
area of India and 23% of India’s population. The state of Hyderabad was dissolved
in 1956 when states were reorganised on linguistic basis.
At the time of Independence, the Hyderabad
state was being ruled by the Asaf Jahi dynasty founded by the Moghul Subedar of
the Deccan Chin Qilich Khan also known as Asaf Jah Nizam ul Mulk. Nizam Ul Mulk
means means the Administrator of the Realm.
Nizam Ul Mulk had been a commander of
Aurangzeb. He later became a Wazier of the Empire after Auranzeb’s death, a competent
Bahadur Shah 1 came onto the throne but his reign was very short and he died 5 years
later. Looking to the incompetent sovereigns coming on to the throne after Bahadur
Shah and the intrigues taking place at
the Mughal court, Nizam Ul Mulk left in
disgust and founded his own state of Hyderabad independent of the Mughal Empire
in 1724. Although this state already existed earlier and Asaf Jah ruled it, it
was not independent of the Mughal Empire and was its province.
In 1728 AD, the Nizam was defeated by the
Maratha army at the battle of Palkhed in Maharashtra. With this the Nizam
started paying both the Chauth and Sardesmukhi to the Marathas. As per Maratha
policy, the kingdoms they defeated were not annexed to their empire but allowed
to exist independently but they had to pay the Chauth (one fourth of the tax
paid to the Mughal Empire) and Sardesmukhi (one tenth of the tax paid to the
Mughal Empire). This is actually protection money that is extracted for
stopping further Maratha raids on the Kingdom. In 1805, after the British victory
over the Marathas in the 2nd Anglo Mysore war, the Nizam came under
the protection of the British.
During the 2nd world war the Nizam
raised 80,000 men known as the 19th Hyderabad Regiment which served
in Malaya, North Africa, Persia, Singapore and Burma.
The last Nizam of Hyderabad state Mir Osman Ali
Khan crowned in 1911 was the richest man in the world at his time. He developed
the railway, introduced electricity, developed roads, airways, irrigation and
reservoirs in Hyderabad state. All major
public buildings of Hyderabad were built during his time. He supported education
and established the Osmania University. The Nizam constructed large reservoirs
like Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar.
When partition took place, the Nizam wanted
Hyderabad to join neither to India nor to Pakistan and remain independent
instead. The Razakars under Kasim Razvi wanted Hyderabad to accede to Pakistan.
When that did not happen they committed atrocities against the Hindus in the
state prompting the Indian Government to launch ‘Operation Polo”. The Nizam
surrendered on 17th September 1948 and Hyderabad became a state in
the Indian Union. Mir Osman Ali Khan died in 1963.
Mir Osman Ali Khan was known for his interfaith
philanthropy. He donated Rs 83,000 to the temple at Yadagiri Gutta, Rs 30,000
to the temple at Bhadrachalam and also made an annual grant of Rs 8000 to Lord
Venkateswara of Tirupati and Rs 50,000 for the reconstruction of Sitarambagh
temple at Hyderabad. He also made grants of land to the tune of 2 lac acres to
various Hindu temples. He made a donation of Rs 1 lac to Benares Hindu
University. He also made financial and land grants to Churches and Gurudwaras
as well.
During the last Nizam’s reign Hyderabad state
became very wealthy because of the Golconda diamond mines which are the only
diamond mines in the world outside South Africa. The Nizam was the only Prince
in India to be given both the titles of “His Exalted Highness” and “Faithful
Ally of the British Government” by the British. In 1948 the Hyderabad state had
annual revenue of 90 million pounds as per British estimates. The state had its
own currency known as the Hyderabadi rupee till 1951.
According to the Forbes all time Wealthiest
list of 2008, Mir Osman Ali khan was 5th richest man in recorded history
with a wealth of 211 billion USD at that time.
Despite being so rich, Osman Ali Khan was also known
for his miserliness in personal habits. The tales of his miserliness and personal
frugalness abound. He wore a simple dress, sometimes crumpled and patched and
used the same fez cap for 35 years. Despite an immense collection of Gold and
Silver utensils, he ate his meals from a tin plate sitting in his bedroom. His
guests were offered just 1 cup of tea, 1 biscuit and cheap Charminar cigarettes.
Despite owning a fleet of 50 rolls Royces, he travelled in a rickety old car. His
bedroom was reportedly cleaned once in a year. He put a steel ring around his
walking stick to stop it from breaking and did not opt to buy a new one.
This personal miserliness contrasted with his
public generosity and donations. He was a major philanthropist and a visionary administrator
and is known as the architect of modern Hyderabad. In 1965 during the Indo Pak
war, the Nizam invested 425 Kg of gold in the National Defence Gold Scheme which
was a significant financial contribution. He also provided pensions to 10,000
former employees and princelings.
These frugal personal habits and generous public
contribution of the last Nizam present a huge contrast. It is very surprising
that a person does not enjoy what he has in abundance, and distributes it to
the public. He however, as an exception did use the Jacob diamond as a paper
weight. That diamond was than worth Rs 100 crores.
No comments:
Post a Comment