By Mohammed Safiullah

It is 44 years since the last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan passed away on the intervening night of 23-24 February in 1967. To this day, old-timers say in the 420 years of the history of Hyderabad, the city has not seen a larger turnout at anyone’s funeral procession. The Nizam died at the King Koti Palace and his cortege was taken from the Palace to Mecca Masjid, and some 10-12 lakh mourners thronged the route. The government of Andhra Pradesh brought out a 30-page gazette highlighting his contribution to the growth and development of Hyderabad.

The Nizam was laid to rest at Masjid-e-Judi, opposite the King Koti Palace, where his mother also rests. Mir Osman Ali Khan was very close to his mother. In fact, he used to visit her everyday at her palace in Purani Haveli till she passed away in 1941. He walked barefoot at her funeral procession alongside her body for a distance of 12 km.

The Nizam remained as Rajpramukh of Hyderabad state from September 1948 to October 1956, and quit a day before modern-day Andhra Pradesh was formed. The next eleven years, he stayed in Hyderabad, just like any other citizen of the state.

Though he was no longer the ruler, he did not lose any of the privileges and wealth he had. In fact, not a single inch of his land was encroached upon or sold off without his consent till he was alive. According to the Blue Book, he had 1200 properties throughout India, most of them in Hyderabad. In November 1953, Government of India recognised the right of the Nizam over 23000 acres of land in Hyderabad. Every locality in the city had a Nizam property complete with municipal and survey number.

Today, the Nizam of Hyderabad, represented by his grandson Mukarram Jah, does not own even 23 acres. All of it has been pilfered and encroached upon by people who were once close to Mir Osman Ali Khan, post 1967. Mukarram Jah, by virtue of staying away from Hyderabad, is not in a position to keep an eye over his properties.

After he was dethroned in 1948, the Nizam busied himself playing matchmaker. He married off his daughters in the 50s and he used to hold mock courts in his palace, arranging alliances for his different relatives. He was a person who people looked up to for guidance in matters non-political.

Despite the bad blood created by the Police Action of 1948, Mir Osman Ali Khan maintained good relations with the central government. In fact, in 1965, when prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri asked the wealthy patriots to contribute to the India Defence Fund, the Nizam donated five tons of gold which was shifted from Hyderabad by trucks.

A little-known incident took place with Indira Gandhi when she became PM and called on the Nizam in Hyderabad. Due to some communication gap, the Nizam didn’t know of the exact time of her arrival and wasn’t appropriately dressed to receive her. Indira Gandhi barged into his room and told him she is her niece, who has come to meet him. An amused Nizam gifted her a pearl necklace.

(Mohammed Safiullah is a historian)

We suggest you also read this blog by Md Safiullah :

http://www.thesouthreports.com/profiles/blogs/the-nizam-would-have-approved