Hyderabad State () was a
princely state
A princely state (also called native state or Indian state) was a nominally sovereign entity of the British Indian Empire that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule, subject to ...
located in the south-central
Deccan region of
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
with its capital at the city of
Hyderabad
Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of Southern Indi ...
. It is now divided into the present-day state of
Telangana
Telangana (; , ) is a state in India situated on the south-central stretch of the Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the eleventh-largest state and the twelfth-most populated state in India with a geographical area of and 35 ...
, the
Kalyana-Karnataka region of
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO 15919, ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reor ...
, and the
Marathwada region
Marathwada () is a proposed state and geographical region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It was formed during the Nizam's rule and was part of the then Hyderabad State. The region coincides with the Aurangabad division of Maharashtra ...
of
Maharashtra
Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the second-most populous state in India and the second-most populous country subdi ...
in India.
The state was ruled from 1724 to 1857 by the
Nizam, who was initially a
viceroy
A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the French word ''roy'', meaning " ...
of the
Mughal empire
The Mughal Empire was an early-modern empire that controlled much of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the d ...
in the
Deccan. Hyderabad gradually became the first princely state to come under
British paramountcy signing a
subsidiary alliance agreement. During British rule in 1901 the state had an average revenue of Rs. 417,000,000, making it the wealthiest princely state in India. The native inhabitants of Hyderabad Deccan, regardless of ethnic origin, are called "Mulki" (countryman), a term still used today.
The dynasty declared itself an independent monarchy during the final years of the
British Raj
The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent;
*
* it is also called Crown rule in India,
*
*
*
*
or Direct rule in India,
* Quote: "Mill, who was him ...
. After the
Partition of India, Hyderabad signed a
standstill agreement with the new
dominion of India
The Dominion of India, officially the Union of India,* Quote: “The first collective use (of the word "dominion") occurred at the Colonial Conference (April to May 1907) when the title was conferred upon Canada and Australia. New Zealand and N ...
, continuing all previous arrangements except for the stationing of Indian troops in the state. Hyderabad's location in the middle of the Indian union, as well as its diverse cultural heritage, was a driving force behind
India's annexation of the state in 1948. Subsequently,
Mir Osman Ali Khan, the 7th Nizam, signed an
instrument of accession, joining India.
History
Early history
Hyderabad State was founded by
Mir Qamar-ud-din Khan
Mir Qamar-ud-din Khan Siddiqi Bayafandi (11 August 16711 June 1748) also known as Chin Qilich qamaruddin Khan, Nizam-ul-Mulk, Asaf Jah and Nizam I, was the 1st Nizam of Hyderabad. He was married to the daughter of a Syed nobleman of Gulbarga. He ...
who was the governor of Deccan under the
Mughals from 1713 to 1721. In 1724, he resumed rule from the Mughal provincial capital of Aurangabad, under the title of ''Asaf Jah'' (granted by Mughal Emperor
Muhammad Shah). His other title, ''Nizam ul-Mulk'' (Order of the Realm), became the title of his position "Nizam of Hyderabad". By the end of his rule, the Nizam had become independent from the Mughals, and had founded the
Asaf Jahi dynasty.
Following the decline of the Mughal power, the region of Deccan saw the rise of the
Maratha Empire
The Maratha Empire, also referred to as the Maratha Confederacy, was an early modern Indian confederation that came to dominate much of the Indian subcontinent in the 18th century. Maratha rule formally began in 1674 with the coronation of Sh ...
. The Nizam himself saw many invasions by the Marathas in the 1720s, which resulted in the Nizam paying a regular ''
Chauth'' (tax) to the Marathas. The major battles fought between the Marathas and the Nizam include
Palkhed,
Rakshasbhuvan, and
Kharda
Kharda(Shivpattan)is a township in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It lies near Ahmednagar District’s south-eastern border with Osmanabad District and Beed District, and is 18 km south-east of Patoda. Rajuri is 17 km north-west, w ...
. Following the conquest of Deccan by
Bajirao I and the imposition of ''chauth'' by him, Nizam remained a tributary of the Marathas for all intent and purposes.
In 1763, the Nizam shifted the capital to the city of Hyderabad.
From 1778, a British resident and soldiers were installed in his dominions. In 1795, the
Nizam lost some of his own territories to the
Marathas. The territorial gains of the Nizam from
Mysore
Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude o ...
as an ally of the British were ceded to the British to meet the cost of maintaining the British soldiers.
British suzerainty
Hyderabad was a region in the
Deccan, ruled by the head of the
Asaf Jahi dynasty, who had the title of Nizam and on whom was bestowed the style of "His Exalted Highness" by the British. The last Nizam,
Mir Osman Ali Khan, was the world's richest man in the 1930s.
In 1798,
Nizam ʿĀlī Khan (Asaf ) was forced to enter into an agreement that put Hyderabad under British protection. He was the first Indian prince to sign such an agreement. (Consequently, the ruler of Hyderabad rated a 23-gun
salute during the period of
British India
The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...
.) The Crown retained the right to intervene in case of misrule.
Hyderabad under
Asaf Jah II was a British ally in the second and third
Maratha Wars (1803–05, 1817–19),
Anglo-Mysore wars
The Anglo-Mysore Wars were a series of four wars fought during the last three decades of the 18th century between the Sultanate of Mysore on the one hand, and the British East India Company (represented chiefly by the neighbouring Madras Pres ...
, and would remain loyal to the British during the
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. The rebellion began on 10 May 1857 in the for ...
(1857–58).
His son,
Asaf Jah III Mir Akbar Ali Khan (known as ''Sikandar Jah'') ruled from 1803 to 1829. During his rule, a British cantonment was built in Hyderabad and the area was named in his honor,
Secunderabad. The British Residency at
Koti was also built during his reign by the then British Resident
James Achilles Kirkpatrick.
Sikander Jah was succeeded by
Asaf Jah IV
Mir Farqunda Ali Khan (25 April 1794 – 16 May 1857) commonly known as Nasir-ud-Daulah, was Nizam of Hyderabad, a princely state of British India, from 24 May 1829 until his death in 1857.
Born as Farqunda Ali Khan to Nizam Sikandar Jah and ...
, who ruled from 1829 to 1857, and was succeeded by his son
Asaf Jah V
Afzal ad-Dawlah, Asaf Jah V Mir Tahniyath Ali Khan Siddiqi (11 October 1827 – 26 February 1869) was the ruling Nizam of Hyderabad, India, from 1857 to 1869.
Realm
Asaf Jah V's realm was divided into five subahs and sixteen districts; each su ...
.
Asaf Jah V
Asaf Jah V
Afzal ad-Dawlah, Asaf Jah V Mir Tahniyath Ali Khan Siddiqi (11 October 1827 – 26 February 1869) was the ruling Nizam of Hyderabad, India, from 1857 to 1869.
Realm
Asaf Jah V's realm was divided into five subahs and sixteen districts; each su ...
's reign from 1857 to 1869 was marked by reforms by his
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is ...
Salar Jung I. Before this time, there was no regular or systematic form of administration, and the duties were in the hand of the ''Diwan'' (Prime Minister), and corruption was thus widespread.
In 1867, the State was divided into five divisions and seventeen districts, and subedars (governors) were appointed for the five Divisions and ''talukdars'' and ''tehsildars'' for the districts. The judicial, public works, medical, educational, municipal, and police departments were re-organised. In 1868, ''sadr-i-mahams'' (Assistant Ministers) were appointed for the Judicial, Revenue, Police, and Miscellaneous Departments.
Asaf Jah VI
Asaf Jah VI Mir Mahbub Ali Khan became the Nizam at the age of three years. His
regent
A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...
s were
Salar Jung I and Shams-ul-Umra III. He assumed full rule at the age of 17, and ruled until his death in 1911. His reign saw the official language of Hyderabad State shift from Persian to Urdu, a change implemented in the 1880s during the short tenure of Prime Minister
Salar Jung II
Mir Laiq Ali Khan, Salar Jung II (died 7 July 1889) was a former Prime Minister of Hyderabad State (1884–1887). He belonged to the noble Salar Jung family. He is also known for authoring the Persian-language travelogue ''Vaqayeʿ-e Mosafer ...
.
The
Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway
Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway (NGSR) was a railway company operating in India from 1879 to 1950. It was owned by the Nizams of Hyderabad State, and its full name was ''His Exalted Highness, The Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway''. The company ...
was established during his reign to connect Hyderabad State to the rest of
British India
The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...
. It was headquartered at
Secunderabad Railway Station. The
railway
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a p ...
marked the beginning of industry in Hyderabad, and factories were built in Hyderabad city.
During his rule, the
Great Musi Flood of 1908 struck the city of Hyderabad, which killed an estimated 50,000 people. The Nizam opened all his palaces for public asylum.
He also abolished
Sati where women used to jump into their husband's burning pyre, by issuing a royal
firman
A firman ( fa, , translit=farmân; ), at the constitutional level, was a royal mandate or decree issued by a sovereign in an Islamic state. During various periods they were collected and applied as traditional bodies of law. The word firman co ...
.
Asaf Jah VII
The last
Nizam of Hyderabad Mir Osman Ali Khan ruled the state from 1911 until 1948. He was given the title "Faithful Ally of the British Empire".
The Nizam's rule saw growth of Hyderabad economically and culturally.
The Nizam's government invited technocrats from world over for the development of Hyderabad as part of nation building. It has its own foreign policy and established foreign relations with many countries outside of British India. Nizam's government also established its embassy in the new capital of
New Delhi
New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament Hous ...
. It commissioned Sir
Edwin Lutyens
Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens ( ; 29 March 1869 – 1 January 1944) was an English architect known for imaginatively adapting traditional architectural styles to the requirements of his era. He designed many English country houses, war memor ...
to design and construct
Hyderabad House
Hyderabad House is an official residence in New Delhi, India. It is the State Guest House of the Prime Minister of India. It is used by the Government of India for banquets, and as a venue for meetings with visiting foreign dignitaries. It ...
as its embassy to deal with British India since Hyderabad was an important British ally.
Osmania University
Osmania University is a collegiate public state university located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Mir Osman Ali Khan, the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad in 1918 , He released a farman to establish OSMANIA UNIVERSITY on the day of 28 August 1918. ...
and several schools and colleges were founded throughout the state. Many writers, poets, intellectuals and other eminent people (including
Fani Badayuni,
Dagh Dehlvi
Nawab Mirza Khan Daagh Dehlvi ( ur, , 25 May 1831 – 17 March 1905) was a poet known for his Urdu ''ghazals''. He belonged to the old Delhi school of Urdu poetry. ,
Josh Malihabadi
Josh Malihabadi (born Shabbir Hasan Khan; 5 December 1898 – 22 February 1982) popularly known as Shayar-e-Inqalab (poet of revolution) was a Pakistani poet and is regarded as one of the finest Urdu poets of the era of British India. Kno ...
,
Ali Haider Tabatabai
Ali Haider Tabatabai (or Syed Ali Hyder Nazm Tabatabai) born 1854 in Awadh, died 1933 in Hyderabad Deccan, India, was a poet, translator and a scholar of languages. He descended from a long line of soldiers. He translated into Urdu Thomas Gray' ...
,
Shibli Nomani,
Nawab Mohsin-ul-Mulk
Nawab Mohsin-ul-Mulk, Munir Nawaz Jang, also known as Syed Mehdi Ali ( ur, ﻧﻭﺍﺏ ﻣﺤﺴن الملک, منير نواز جنگ, ﺳﻴﺩ ﻣﻫﺩﻯ ﻋﻠﻰ) (born 9 December 1837 — 16 October 1907), was an Indian Musl ...
,
Mirza Ismail) migrated from all parts of India to Hyderabad during the reign of
Asaf Jah VII
Mir Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII (5 or 6 April 1886 — 24 February 1967), was the last Nizam (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 ...
, and his father and predecessor
Asaf Jah VI. Apart from the above people, many technocrats also migrated to Hyderabad on the invitation of the govt to develop Hyderabad with all its sustainable modern infrastructure which is still serving the great Hyderabad metropolis in all its brilliance.
The Nizam also established
Hyderabad State Bank
State Bank of Hyderabad (SBH) was a regional bank in Hyderabad, with headquarters at Gunfoundry, Abids, Hyderabad, Telangana. Founded by the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad State, Mir Osman Ali Khan, it is now one of the five associate banks of State Ba ...
. Hyderabad was the only independent state in
Indian
Indian or Indians may refer to:
Peoples South Asia
* Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor
** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country
* South Asia ...
subcontinent which had its own currency, the
Hyderabadi rupee. The
Begumpet Airport was established in the 1930s with formation of
Hyderabad Aero Club by the Nizam. Initially it was used as a domestic and international airport for the Nizam's
Deccan Airways, the earliest airline in British India. The terminal building was created in 1937.
In order to prevent another
great flood, the Nizam also constructed two lakes, namely the
Osman Sagar and
Himayath Sagar. The
Osmania General Hospital
Osmania General Hospital (OGH) is one of the oldest hospitals in India located at Afzal Gunj, Hyderabad and is named after its founder – Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam of Hyderabad. It is run by the Government of Telangana, and is one o ...
,
Jubilee Hall
A jubilee is a particular anniversary of an event, usually denoting the 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, and the 70th anniversary. The term is often now used to denote the celebrations associated with the reign of a monarch after a milestone number of y ...
,
State Library (then known as ''Asifia Kutubkhana'') and
Public Gardens
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the cultivation, display, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The single feature identifying even the wildest wild garden is ''control''. The garden can incorporate both ...
(then known as ''Bagh e Aam'') were constructed during this period.
After Indian Independence (1947–48)
In 1947
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
gained independence and
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
came into existence. The British left the local rulers of the
princely states the choice of whether to join one or the other, or to remain independent. On 11 June 1947, the Nizam issued a declaration to the effect that he had decided not to participate in the Constituent Assembly of either Pakistan or India.
However, the Nizams were Muslim ruling over a predominantly Hindu population.
India insisted that the great majority of residents wanted to join India.
The Nizam was in a weak position as his army numbered only 24,000 men, of whom only some 6,000 were fully trained and equipped.
On 21 August 1948, the Secretary-General of the Hyderabad Department of External Affairs requested the President of the United Nations' Security Council, under Article 35(2) of the
United Nations Charter, to consider the "grave dispute, which, unless settled in accordance with
international law
International law (also known as public international law and the law of nations) is the set of rules, norms, and standards generally recognized as binding between states. It establishes normative guidelines and a common conceptual framework for ...
and justice, is likely to endanger the maintenance of international peace and security".
On 4 September the Prime Minister of Hyderabad
Mir Laiq Ali announced to the Hyderabad Assembly that a delegation was about to leave for
Lake Success, headed by
Moin Nawaz Jung
Nawab Moin Nawaz Jung was the Minister for Finance and External Affairs of the Hyderabad State, under the Nizam Osman Ali Khan's reign.
Family
Moin Nawaz Jung was the brother-in-law of Mir Laik Ali, who served as the last Prime Minister of H ...
. The Nizam also appealed, without success, to the British
Labour Government and to
the King for assistance, to fulfill their obligations and promises to Hyderabad by "immediate intervention". Hyderabad only had the support of
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, and again from ...
and the British
Conservatives.
At 4 a.m. on 13 September 1948, India's Hyderabad Campaign, code-named "
Operation Polo" by the
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the Land warfare, land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Commander-in-Chief, Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Arm ...
, began. Indian troops invaded Hyderabad from all points of the compass. On 13 September 1948, the Secretary-General of the Hyderabad Department of External Affairs in a cablegram informed the United Nations Security Council that Hyderabad was being invaded by Indian forces and that hostilities had broken out. The Security Council took notice of it on 16 September in Paris. The representative of Hyderabad called for immediate action by the Security Council under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter. The Hyderabad representative responded to India's excuse for the intervention by pointing out that the Stand-still Agreement between the two countries had expressly provided that nothing in it should give India the right to send in troops to assist in the maintenance of internal order.
At 5 p.m. on 17 September the Nizam's army surrendered. The Government of Hyderabad resigned, and military
governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
s and chief ministers were appointed by the Nizam at India's direction.
On 26 January 1950, India formally incorporated the state of Hyderabad into the Union of India and ended the rule of the Nizams.
Hyderabad State (1948–56)
After the incorporation of Hyderabad State into India,
M. K. Vellodi
Mullath Kadingi Vellodi CIE, ICS (1896–1987) was the appointed Chief Minister of Hyderabad state by the government of India after the fall of the Hyderabad state ruled by Nizam rule.
A member of the Indian Civil Service, he was Textile Comm ...
was appointed as Chief Minister of the state and
Mir Osman Ali Khan became the
Rajpramukh on 26 January 1950. He was a Senior Civil servant in the Government of India. He administered the state with the help of bureaucrats from
Madras state
Madras State was a state of India during the mid-20th century. At the time of its formation in 1950, it included the whole of present-day Tamil Nadu (except Kanyakumari district), Coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema, the Malabar region of North and ...
and
Bombay state
Bombay State was a large Indian state created at the time of India's Independence, with other regions being added to it in the succeeding years. Bombay Presidency (roughly equating to the present-day Indian state of Maharashtra, excluding So ...
.
In the
1952 Legislative Assembly election, Dr.
Burgula Ramakrishna Rao was elected Chief Minister of Hyderabad State. During this time there were violent agitations by some
Telanganites to send back bureaucrats from Madras state, and to strictly implement 'Mulki-rules' (local jobs for locals only), which was part of Hyderabad state law since 1919.
Dissolution
In 1956 during the
reorganisation of the Indian States based along linguistic lines, the state of Hyderabad was split up among
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
and
Bombay state
Bombay State was a large Indian state created at the time of India's Independence, with other regions being added to it in the succeeding years. Bombay Presidency (roughly equating to the present-day Indian state of Maharashtra, excluding So ...
(later divided into states of Maharashtra and
Gujarat
Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
in 1960 with the original portions of Hyderabad becoming part of the state of Maharashtra and
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO 15919, ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reor ...
.
On 2 June 2014, the state of Telangana was formed splitting from the rest of
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
state and formed the 29th state of India, with
Hyderabad
Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of Southern Indi ...
as its capital.
Government and politics
Government
Wilfred Cantwell Smith states that Hyderabad was an area where the political and social structure from medieval Muslim rule had been preserved more or less intact into the modern times. The last Nizam was reputed to be the wealthiest man in the world. He was supported by an
aristocracy of 1,100 feudal lords who owned a further 30% of the state's land, with some 4 million tenant farmers. The state also owned 50% or more of the capital in all the major enterprises, allowing the Nizam to earn further profits and control their affairs.
Next in the social structure were the administrative and official class, comprising about 1,500 officials. A number of them were recruited from outside the state. The lower level government employees were also predominantly Muslim. Effectively, the Muslims of the Hyderabad represented an 'upper caste' of the social structure.
All power was vested in the Nizam. He ruled with the help of an Executive Council or Cabinet, established in 1893, whose members he was free to appoint and dismiss. The government of the Nizam recruited heavily from the North Indian Hindu
Kayastha
Kayastha (also referred to as Kayasth) denotes a cluster of disparate Indian communities broadly categorised by the regions of the Indian subcontinent in which they were traditionally locatedthe Chitraguptavanshi Kayasthas of North India, the ...
caste for administrative posts. There was also an Assembly, whose role was mostly advisory. More than half its members were appointed by the Nizam and the rest elected from a carefully limited franchise. There were representatives of Hindus,
Parsis, Christians and Depressed Classes in the Assembly. Their influence was however limited due to their small numbers.
The state government also had a large number of outsiders (called ''non-mulkis'') – 46,800 of them in 1933, including all the members of the Nizam's Executive Council. Hindus and Muslims united in protesting against the practice which robbed the locals of government employment. The movement, however, fizzled out after the Hindu members raised the issue of 'responsible government', which was of no interest to the Muslim members and led to their resignation.
Various properties and wealth owned by the Nizam as part of Hyderabad State are now succeeded by his descendants, including his grandsons Prince Mukarram Jah, Prince Mufakkam Jah & Prince Shahmat Jah and his great-grandson Himayat Ali Mirza among others.
Himayat Ali Mirza, great-grandson of the Nizam, remarked that his stake in the English state sums up to 36% of the total amount.
For claiming the total share of £35 million, Nizam’s great-grandson, Himayat Ali Mirza, reached the London High Court.
Political movements
Up to 1920, there was no political organisation of any kind in Hyderabad. In that year, following British pressure, the Nizam issued a ''firman'' appointing a special officer to investigate constitutional reforms. It was welcomed enthusiastically by a section of the populace, who formed the Hyderabad State Reforms Association. However, the Nizam and the Special Officer ignored all their demands for consultation. Meanwhile, the Nizam banned the
Khilafat movement
The Khilafat Movement (1919–24), also known as the Caliphate movement or the Indian Muslim movement, was a pan-Islamist political protest campaign launched by Muslims of British India led by Shaukat Ali, Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar, Hakim ...
in the State as well as all political meetings and the entry of "political outsiders". Nevertheless, some political activity did take place and witnessed co-operation between Hindus and Muslims. The abolition of the Sultanate in Turkey and Gandhi's suspension of the
Non-co-operation movement in British India ended this period of co-operation.
An organisation called
Andhra Jana Sangham (later renamed ''Andhra Mahasabha'') was formed in November 1921, and focused on educating the masses of
Telangana
Telangana (; , ) is a state in India situated on the south-central stretch of the Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the eleventh-largest state and the twelfth-most populated state in India with a geographical area of and 35 ...
in political awareness. With leading members such as
Madapati Hanumantha Rao
Madapati Hanumantha Rao (22 January 1885 – 11 November 1970) was an Indian statesman, poet and a short-story writer. He was the first Mayor of Hyderabad from 1951 to 1954. He is also a Padma Bhushan recipient.
Revival of the Telugu Language i ...
,
Burgula Ramakrishna Rao and M. Narsing Rao, its activities included urging merchants to resist offering freebies to government officials and encouraging labourers to resist the system of ''
begar'' (free labour requested at the behest of state). Alarmed by its activities, the Nizam passed a powerful gagging order in 1929, requiring all public meetings to obtain prior permission. But the organisation persisted by mobilising on social issues such as the protection of ''ryots'', women's rights, abolition of the
devadasi
In India, a devadasi was a female artist who was dedicated to the worship and service of a deity or a temple for the rest of her life. The dedication took place in a ceremony that was somewhat similar to a marriage ceremony. In addition to taki ...
system and
purdah, uplifting of
Dalit
Dalit (from sa, दलित, dalita meaning "broken/scattered"), also previously known as untouchable, is the lowest stratum of the castes in India. Dalits were excluded from the four-fold varna system of Hinduism and were seen as forming ...
s etc. It turned to politics again in 1937, passing a resolution calling for responsible government. Soon afterwards, it split along the moderate–extremist lines. The Andhra Mahasabha's move towards politics also inspired similar movements in
Marathwada and
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO 15919, ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reor ...
in 1937, giving rise to the ''Maharashtra Parishad'' and ''Karnataka Parishad'' respectively.
Military
Hyderabad's first ruler,
Asaf Jah I was a talented commander and assembled a powerful army that allowed Hyderabad to become one of the preeminent states in southern India. After his death, the military was crippled by the succession wars of his sons. It was restored under
Nizam Ali Khan, Asaf Jah II (r. 1762–1803) who modernized the army. Notable units during his reign included
British-trained battalions, the French-trained ''Corps Français de Raymond'' which was led by
Michel Joachim Marie Raymond
General Michel Joachim Marie Raymond (25 September 1755 – 25 March 1798), popularly known as Monsieur Raymond, was a French General in Nizam - (Nizam Ali Khan, Asaf Jah II)'s military and the founder of Gunfoundry, Hyderabad. He was born in S� ...
and fought under the
French ''Tricolour'', and the Victorious Battalion, an elite infantry unit entirely composed of women.
Culture
Symbols
Coat of Arms
File:CoA Nizam 1893.png, Coat of Arms of Nizam of Hyderabad (1869–1911)
File:In-hyderabad47.png, Coat of Arms of Nizam of Hyderabad (1911–1947)
File:Hyderabad Coat of Arms.jpg, Coat of Arms of Nizam of Hyderabad (1947–1948)
File:State Emblem of Hyderabad.jpg, State Emblem of Hyderabad (1947–1948)
The coat of arms features the full titles of the Nizam at the bottom, and a
dastar
Flag
File:Flag of the State of Hyderabad (18th century-1900).svg, 18th century–1900
File:Flag of Hyderabad 1900-1947.svg, 1900–1947
File:Asafia flag of Hyderabad State.svg, 1947–1948
Under the leadership of
Asaf Jah V
Afzal ad-Dawlah, Asaf Jah V Mir Tahniyath Ali Khan Siddiqi (11 October 1827 – 26 February 1869) was the ruling Nizam of Hyderabad, India, from 1857 to 1869.
Realm
Asaf Jah V's realm was divided into five subahs and sixteen districts; each su ...
the state changed its traditional heraldic flag.
The Asafia flag of Hyderabad. The script along the top reads ''Al Azmatulillah'' meaning "All greatness is for God". The bottom script reads ''Ya Uthman'' which translates to "Oh
Osman". The writing in the middle reads "Nizam-ul-Mulk Asif Jah"
Stamps
The stamps of the Hyderabad State featured the
Golconda Fort,
Ajanta Caves, and the
Charminar.
Anthem
The ''National Anthem of Nizam's Dominion'', better known as "O Osman", was the national anthem of the kingdom of Hyderabad until its
annexation
Annexation (Latin ''ad'', to, and ''nexus'', joining), in international law, is the forcible acquisition of one state's territory by another state, usually following military occupation of the territory. It is generally held to be an illegal act ...
by
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
. It was composed by John Fredrick during the time of 7th
Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan.
Other symbols
Demographics
Mulki
Mulkis or Mulkhis, are the native inhabitants of the erstwhile Hyderabad State, regardless of ethnic differences.
The term was popularly used during the
1952 Mulkhi Agitation (Telangana), which saw protests demanding job reservations for Mulki people, and demanding non-Mulkis to leave.
As per the 1941 Hyderabad State Census, 2,187,005 people spoke
, 7,529,229 people spoke
Telugu
Telugu may refer to:
* Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India
*Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India
* Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language
** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode
...
, 3,947,089 people spoke
Marathi, 1,724,180 people spoke Kanarese (
Kannada
Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...
) as native languages. The
Hyderabadi Muslim population, including the ruling
Asaf Jahi dynasty numbered around 2,097,475 people, while Hindus numbered around 9,171,318 people.
Architecture
The architecture of Hyderabad State is very cosmopolitan in nature, and heavily influenced by European and Islamic styles. The Nizam's palaces and several public buildings were built in a distinctive style. The earliest surviving buildings are purely European, examples being the
neoclassical British Residency (1798) and
Falaknuma Palace (1893). In the early 20th century, the
Osmania General Hospital
Osmania General Hospital (OGH) is one of the oldest hospitals in India located at Afzal Gunj, Hyderabad and is named after its founder – Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam of Hyderabad. It is run by the Government of Telangana, and is one o ...
City College,
High Court, and
Kacheguda Railway station were designed in the
Indo-Saracenic
Indo-Saracenic architecture (also known as Indo-Gothic, Mughal-Gothic, Neo-Mughal, or Hindoo style) was a revivalist architectural style mostly used by British architects in India in the later 19th century, especially in public and government ...
style by
Vincent Esch
Vincent Jerome Esch, (20 July 1876 – 9 December 1950) was a British architect who worked in India. He is regarded as a pioneer of the Indo-Sarcenic architectural style, which developed during the British rule in the Indian subcontinent.
Born in ...
. The
Moazzam Jahi Market
Moazzam Jahi Market is a fruit market in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Named after Moazzam Jah- the second son of Mir Osman Ali Khan
History
It was constructed in 1935 during the reign of the last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan. It was named after ...
was also built in a similar style.
Industries
Various major industries emerged in various parts of the State of Hyderabad before its incorporation into the Union of India, especially during the first half of the twentieth century. Hyderabad city had a separate powerplant for electricity. However, the Nizams focused industrial development on the region of
Sanathnagar, housing a number of industries there with transportation facilities by both road and rail.
See also
Notes
References
Bibliography
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Further reading
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* Sherman, Taylor C. "Migration, citizenship and belonging in Hyderabad (Deccan), 1946–1956." ''Modern Asian Studies'' 45#1 (2011): 81–107.
* Sherman, Taylor C. "The integration of the princely state of Hyderabad and the making of the postcolonial state in India, 1948–56." ''Indian Economic & Social History Review'' 44#4 (2007): 489–516.
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External links
* (archived 12 January 2009)
{{Telangana
*
Princely states of India
Muslim princely states of India
History of Telangana
Princely states of Maharashtra
1948 disestablishments in India
1724 establishments in India
States and territories established in 1724
States and territories disestablished in 1948
Historical Indian regions
Empires and kingdoms of India