The Nizam of Hyderabad’s Munificence

— Dr Ausaf Sayeed *

The Seventh Nizam of Hyderabad Mir Osman Ali Khan was

acknowledged as the world's richest man whose estimated fortune was more
than US$ 2 billion. In addition, he was said to have US$ 5 billion worth of
gold in bricks and coins in his Treasury and an unspecified number of gems.
The Wall Street Journal had reported in March 1931 that two Englishmen
spent more than two years just to classify his family jewellery1. The Nizam
was one of the five rulers from amongst the 565 Princely States in the British
India who was given the rank of 21-gun salute apart from the Maharajas of
Gwalior, Kashmir and Mysore and the Gaekwad of Baroda2.

The initial decade of Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan's reign was memorable
for rallying the resources of Hyderabad to the services of the Empire during
the World War when he made generous contributions to the Great Britain's
War Fund. During World War I, the Nizam donated Rs 4 crores (US$ 15
million) to the Fund, including US$ 400,000 grant for anti-submarine
warfare. He repeated his largesse during World War II by contributing US$
400,000 to the British Air Ministry, and another US$45,000 towards
supporting the Hyderabad cavalry kept as a standby at the disposal of the
Imperial forces3, besides his donation of Rs. 5 lakhs to the French
Government from his personal funds or "Sarf-e-Khas"4.

1
INDIAN POTENTATE PREMIER PLUTOCRAT. (1931, Mar 17). Wall Street Journal (1923 - Current File) Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/130875364?accountid=141252
2 'Cultural Sociology of the Middle East, Asia, and Africa: An Encyclopedia' by Andrea L. Stanton

SAGE, Jan 5, 2012, p.132.

3 'Foreign News: Eastern Friends', Time Magazine, Monday, Nov. 06, 1939 Retrieved from

http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,762731,00.html
4 Hyderabad state's response. (1940, Jul 16). The Times of India (1861-Current) Retrieved from

http://search.proquest.com/docview/613860664?accountid=141252
 2

Justifying the title of "Faithful Ally of the British Government" as the

British often used to refer to the Nizam, his overzealous donations could be
interpreted as the demonstration of his faithfulness to the Imperial Crown,
or a political expediency as he was ruling the Deccan under the guaranteed
protection of the British Residency.

However, the Nizam of Hyderabad was known for his philanthropy and
support to several charitable causes. There were numerous instances when
the Nizam not only took the initiative in supporting social and educational
causes, within and outside his Kingdom but also encouraged his Nobles to
do so.

Donations to religious places

The Nizam's generosity transcended religion, region or geographic

boundaries of States. The Seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan was known
to have showered his generosity for Hindus and Muslims alike. He was
generous in giving donations to temples, churches, mosques and
Gurudwaras. The Yadgarpally temple at Bhongir received a grant of Rs.
82,825. Sitarambagh temple got Rs. 50,000, Bhadrachalam temple Rs. 29,999
and Balaji temple in Tirupati Rs. 8,0005.

The Nizam extended financial assistance for the English translation of the
Holy Quran by Mohamed Marmaduke Pickthall, the well-known English
Muslim journalist and Islamic scholar, and compilation of 'Sirat-un-Nabi'
(Life of the Prophet) by Allama Shibli Nomani and his disciple Maulana
Syed Suleman Nadvi. At the same time, the Nizam supported the
Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune with an annual grant of Rs.
1000 for ten years for the publication of the Hindu epic, ‘Mahabharata', and

5
'A ‘miser' who donated generously', The Hindu, February 19, 2010 accessed from the URL:
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/a-miser-who-donated-
generously/article713485.ece
 3

a lump sum grant of Rs. 25,000 towards the construction of a guest house in
1932, besides supporting the Telugu Academy6 for bringing out a book on
Ancient Hindu buildings of Hyderabad. The Nizam also granted Rs. 1 lakh
each to the Andhra and the Benaras Hindu Universities.

The Nizam accorded great importance to honouring Islamic scholars and

clerics. In fact, Hyderabad's reputation for generosity supposedly spread so
rapidly and widely that, according to one contemporary source, ulema
arrived from Hejaz, Central Asia, Iran, Iraq and northern-eastern Iran
(Khurasan) expecting recognition and financial security7.

Nizam's munificence was not only restricted to religious scholars and

publications but was extended to education, scientific research, art & music,
welfare of citizens and soldiers as well as financial aid for relief from natural
disasters. A donation of Rs. 10,000 made to the Indian Music Conference at
Lahore in July 1927 reflects Nizam's active patronage to art and music.

Upon the recommendation of Surgeon Major Edward Lawrie,

Superintendent of Afzalgunj Hospital, the Nizam paid for a scientific
investigation into the controversy regarding the safety of the use of
Chloroform. Further, the Nizam gave a grant of £1,000 to meet the travel
expenses of an expert from `Lancet’, the renowned journal of the British
Medical Association, to participate as a member in a special Commission set
up for this purpose8.

6
'Nizam's love for books and his generous side' by J.S.Ifthekhar, The Hindu, HYDERABAD, February 13, 2012
Retrieved from http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/nizams-love-for-books-
and-his-generous-side/article2887047.ece
7
'At Empire's End: The Nizam, Hyderabad and Eighteenth-Century India' by Munis D.Fauqui, Modern Asian Studies
43, 1 (2009) p.39 Cambridge University Press.
8
'Chloroform, Malaria And The Nizam', Legends and Anecdotes of Hyderabad : 23, March 1, 1997 Retrieved from
http://narendralutherarchives.blogspot.com/2006/12/chloroform-malaria-and-nizam.html
 4

The Nizam's contribution of £500 to the Sheriff of Bombay's Earthquake

Relief Fund9 in the aftermath of the Messina earthquake of December 1908
in Sicily and Calabria was an expression of profound sympathy to the people
of Italy even as Hyderabad suffered huge loss of life and property owing to
plague two months earlier.

Silver Jubilee Fund used for development

During February 1937, the Hyderabad State celebrated the Silver Jubilee
of the rule of the last Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan, who had ascended the
throne on 29 August 1911. A Jubilee Working Committee was set up whose
task inter alia was to mobilize contributions to a special 'Silver Jubilee Fund'.

The Nizam issued a Firman (decree) that a large part of the funds collected
be spent on works of public welfare. Some of the schemes identified included
constructing a tuberculosis sanatorium and an ophthalmic hospital, a police
hospital, four poor houses, three child welfare centres, a public playground
under Hussain Sagar Tank Bund, a public park in the bed of the Mirjumala
Tank, three child welfare centres, three reading rooms, a model village and
a centre for rural reconstruction work at an estimated cost of Rs. 27,75,000,
half of which was proposed to be met from the Government funds10.

The Nizam of Hyderabad, during whose reign Osmania University,

India’s first vernacular university was set up on 17th August, 1917, was an
ardent supporter of education. He was instrumental in setting up many
schools, libraries and welfare hostels for the poor.

9
The earthquake relief fund. (1909, Jan 07). The Times of India (1861-Current)Retrieved
from http://search.proquest.com/docview/234759205?accountid=141252
10
OUR, O. C. (1935, Oct 05). SILVER JUBILEE WELFARE WORK. The Times of India (1861-Current) Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/325315907?accountid=141252
 5

Aligarh Muslim University

Successive Nizams have given generous grants-in-aid for the

maintenance of the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College, which was later
christened as the Aligarh Muslim University. The Nizam also served as the
Chancellor of the University for a long time.

In January 1918, during his visit to the University, the Nizam announced
an annual grant of Rs. 1000 for Arabic education and a donation of Rs. 50,000
for the reconstruction of barracks11. During his first visit to the Aligarh
Muslim University as its Chancellor on the occasion of its convocation in
March 1936, the Nizam announced a donation of Rs. 10,000 for the
construction of a pavilion12. He followed it up with another donation of Rs.
1 lakh in February 1938 for the construction of the University Technical
Institute.

Hyderabad’s Connection to Shantiniketan

In July 1927, the Nizam gifted Rs. 100,000 to Visvabharati University or

Shantiniketan13 following an appeal from Rabindranath Tagore, and this
turned out to be the largest of all donations received by the University.

Scholarship to Sarojini Naidu

Sarojini Naidu, the 'Nightingale of India', had a remarkable flair for

English poetry. Even at a tender age of thirteen she composed a long poem
of 1300 lines in six days and even wrote a drama of 3000 lines and another
Persian Play in English called 'Meher Muneer'. The Nizam was so impressed

11
NIZAM AT ALIGARH. (1918, Jan 31). The Times of India (1861-Current) Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/608385919?accountid=141252
12
DEGREE CONFERRED ON VICEROY BY ALIGARH 'VARSITY. (1936, Mar 23). The Times of India (1861-
Current) Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/325423909?accountid=141252
13
OUR, O. C. (1927, Jul 05). GIFT TO SANTINIKETAN. The Times of India (1861-Current) Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/310853236?accountid=141252
 6

after receiving a copy of the play that he granted her annual scholarship of
£300 to pursue her higher education in England14.

Financial Assistance to the last Ottoman Caliph

In June 1924, the Nizam issued a Farman granting a monthly allowance

of £300 to Caliph Abdulmejid II, the 29th and last of the Ottoman Caliphate,
whose brief rule got curtailed following the abolition of the Caliphate
leading to his eventual exile to France. Incidentally, Caliph Abdulmejid II
was the father of Princess Durre Shehvar who was married to Azam Jah, the
eldest son of the Nizam.

Makkah & Madinah

The Nizam of Hyderabad and other members of his family and the
nobility constructed at least eleven Rubats or hospices in the two holy cities
of Makkah and Madinah for the benefit of the Hajj and Umrah pilgrims from
Hyderabad. The prominent among such rubats were the Rubat Hussain Bi,
Rubat Afzal-ud-Daula, Bagh-e-Shamsia and Rubat of Princess Durre Shehvar in
Madinah and Rubats of Dilawarunnissa and Afzal-ud-Daula in the Misfalah
and Shamiya areas of Makkah.

In 1924, the Nizam deputed an engineer to undertake the repairs to the

Prophet's mosque in Madinah while another engineer was sent to Makkah
in 1926 to estimate the cost of repairs for several buildings that got damaged
in the wake of the Wahhabi movement15. In 1936, the Nizam of Hyderabad
donated Rs. 50,000 to contribute towards installation of electricity in the

14
INDIA'S POETESS-POLITICIAN. (1949, Mar 03). The Times of India (1861-Current) Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/502033845?accountid=141252
15
OUR, O. C. (1926, May 29). SECUNDERABAD NOTES. The Times of India (1861-Current) Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/324803807?accountid=141252
 7

Prophet's Mosque in Medina following an appeal made by Sir Nizamat Jung

Bahadur, an ex-Minister who had accompanied Dulan Pasha, the Nizam's
consort on Hajj a year earlier16.

Hyderabad was the headquarters of the Hejaz Railway Central

Committee formed to raise funds for the construction of Great Hijaz
Railways project. The Nizam donated Turkish Liras 20,000 to the project on
the condition that the railway reaches Medina17.

Palestine & Al-Aqsa

The Nizam donated over Rs 100,000 for the upkeep of the 'Zawiyat al-
Hindiyyah' or "Takiya Fariyidiyah" in Jerusalem following its damage during
the 1927 earthquake. The main building in the hospice was named as 'Osman
Manzil' after the Nizam's name. The Nizam also contributed £7543 for
establishing an Islamic University in Palestine as resolved during the first
Islamic Conference held in Jerusalem in 193118.

Donation of five tonnes of gold to the National Development Fund

In the midst of the Indo-Pak War of August 1965 when the Indian
stockpile of arms and ammunition was getting diminished, the then Prime
Minister of India Lal Bahadur Shastri made a fervent nation-wide appeal to
general public, business persons, wealthy families and erstwhile kings of the
princely states to donate to the National Defence Fund.

When Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri personally visited the last
Nizam of Hyderabad Mir Osman Ali Khan on September 11, 1965, the

16
Electrification of medina mosque. (1935, Nov 07). The Times of India (1861-Current)Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/741136310?accountid=141252
17
'The Hejaz Railway and the Ottoman Empire: Modernity, Industrialization and Ottoman Decline' by Murat
Ozyuksel, I.B.Tauris, Nov 30, 2014, pp 71-74.
18
“Indian Muslims and Palestinian Awqaf,” by Omar Khalidi, Jerusalem Quarterly 10.40 (2009): 52–58;
 8

Nizam pledged to donate 5000 kg of gold to the National Defence Fund with
any second thoughts.

In monetary terms, the Nizam’s contribution was about Rs 75 lakh, or

about three quarters of the annual Privy Purse he received from the Centre.
The current value of the gold would be in the range of Rs 1500 to 1600
crores19. This was the biggest ever contribution by any individual or
organisation in India to the Defence Fund and remains unsurpassed till
today20.

It is ironical that many of Nizam's princely contemporaries from other

states regarded him a miser who was inordinately stingy but history would
testify that the Nizam was an efficient and progressive potentate who had
given Hyderabad a model rule for a quarter of the Century.

***

(* Dr Ausaf Sayeed is a retired diplomat of India)

© Dr Ausaf Sayeed. No part of this article should be reproduced in any form, written or
electronic, without acknowledging the author.

19
'50 years of Indo-Pak War: Remembering Nizam Hyderabad as a different kind of hero', The Siasat Daily, August
6, 2015
20
'The rich legacy of Nizams', Deccan Chronical, June 1, 2014 accessed from the URL:
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/140601/lifestyle-offbeat/article/rich-legacy-nizams