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Hyderabad State PDF
Hyderabad State PDF
State of Hyderabad
Deccan
1724–1948
"Ya Osman"
(Oh Osman)
v
t
e
Five-rupee note from Hyderabad
Maharaja Sir Kishen Pershad
was the Prime Minister of
Hyderabad State between
1901-1912 and 1926-1937
Contents
1 History
1.1 Early history
1.2 British suzerainty
1.2.1 Asaf Jah V
1.2.2 Asaf Jah VI
1.2.3 Asaf Jah VII
1.3 After Indian Independence (1947–48)
1.4 1948–56
1.5 Dissolution
2 Government and politics
2.1 Government
2.2 Political movements
2.2.1 1938 Satyagraha
2.3 Communal violence
2.3.1 Prior to the operation
2.3.2 During and after the operation
3 Military
4 Demographics
4.1 Mulki
5 Culture
5.1 Symbols
5.1.1 Coat of Arms
5.1.2 Flag
5.1.3 Stamps
5.1.4 Anthem
6 Architecture
7 Industries
8 See also
9 Notes
10 References
11 Bibliography
12 Further reading
13 External links
History
Early history
Hyderabad State was founded by Mir Qamar-ud-din Khan who was the governor of Deccan under the
Mughals from 1713 to 1721. In 1724, he resumed rule 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.[14]
Following the decline of the Mughal power, the region of Deccan saw the rise of Maratha Empire. The
Nizam himself saw many invasions by the Marathas in the 1720s, which resulted in the Nizam paying a
regular tax (Chauth) to the Marathas. The major battles fought between the Marathas and the Nizam
include Palkhed, Rakshasbhuvan, and Kharda.[15][16] 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.
[17]
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 as an ally of the
British were ceded to the British to meet the cost of maintaining the British soldiers.[14]
British suzerainty
Hyderabad was a 212,000 km2 (82,000 sq mi) 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, Osman Ali Khan, was one of the world's richest men in the 1930s.[18]
In 1798, Nizam ʿĀlī Khan (Asaf Jah II) 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 Crown retained the right to
intervene in case of misrule.[14]
Hyderabad under Asaf Jah II was a British ally in the second and third Maratha Wars (1803–05, 1817–
19), Anglo-Mysore wars, and would remain loyal to the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857
(1857–58).[14][19]
His son, Asaf Jah III Mir Akbar Ali Khan (known as Sikandar Jah) ruled from 1768 to 1829. During his
rule, a British cantonment was built in Hyderabad and the area was named in his honor, Secunderabad.[20]
The British Residency at Koti was also built during his reign by the then British Resident James Achilles
Kirkpatrick.[21]
Sikander Jah was succeeded by Asaf Jah IV, who ruled from 1829 to 1857, and was succeeded by his son
Asaf Jah V.[22]
Asaf Jah V
Asaf Jah V's reign from 1857 to 1869 was marked by reforms by his Prime Minister 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.[23]
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.[24] In 1868, sadr-i-mahams
(Assistant Ministers) were appointed for the Judicial, Revenue, Police, and Miscellaneous Departments.
[25]
Asaf Jah VI
Asaf Jah VI Mir Mahbub Ali Khan became the Nizam at the age of three years. His regents 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.[26]
[27][28]
The Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway was also established during his reign to connect Hyderabad State
to the rest of British India. It was headquartered at Secunderabad Railway Station.[29][30] The railway
marked the beginning of industry in Hyderabad, and factories were built in Hyderabad city.[31][32]
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.[33][34][35]
He also abolished Sati where women used to jump into their husband's burning pyre, by issuing a royal
firman.[36][37]
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". Hyderabad was considered backward, but peaceful, during
this time.[14] The Nizam's rule saw growth of Hyderabad economically and culturally. The Osmania
University and several schools and colleges were founded throughout the state. Many writers, poets,
intellectuals and other eminent people (including Fani Badayuni, Dagh Dehlvi, Josh Malihabadi, Ali
Haider Tabatabai, Shibli Nomani, Nawab Mohsin-ul-Mulk, Mirza Ismail) migrated from all parts of India
to Hyderabad during the reign of Asaf Jah VII, and his father and predecessor Asaf Jah VI.
The Nizam also established Hyderabad State Bank. Hyderabad was the only state in British India which
had its own currency, the Hyderabadi rupee.[38] 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.[39]
In order to prevent another great flood, the Nizam also constructed two lakes, namely the Osman Sagar
and Himayath Sagar. The Osmania General Hospital, Jubilee Hall, , State Library (then known as Asifia
Kutubkhana) and Public Gardens (then known as Bagh e Aam) were constructed during this period.[40][41]
In 1947 India gained independence and Pakistan 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.[14] India insisted that
the great majority of residents wanted to join India.[42]
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.[43]
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 and justice, is
likely to endanger the maintenance of international peace and security".[44][non-primary source needed]
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.[45] 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 and the British Conservatives.[46]
At 4 a.m. on 13 September 1948, India's Hyderabad Campaign, code-named "Operation Polo" by the
Indian Army, 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.
[47][non-primary source needed]
At 5 p.m. on 17 September the Nizam's army surrendered. India then incorporated the state of Hyderabad
into the Union of India and ended the rule of the Nizams.[48]
1948–56
Main article: Hyderabad State (1948–56)
After the incorporation of Hyderabad State into India, M. K. Vellodi was appointed as Chief Minister of
the state 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 and Bombay state.[49]
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.[50]
Dissolution
In 1956 during the reorganisation of the Indian States based along linguistic lines, the state of Hyderabad
was split up among Andhra Pradesh and Bombay state (later divided into states of Maharashtra and
Gujarat in 1960 with the original portions of Hyderabad becoming part of the state of Maharashtra) and
Karnataka.[51].