Despite 37-year rein that shaped modern Hyderabad, Osman Ali Khan most vilified Nizam

HYDERABAD: September 17 conjures up the images of a bloodless transition of power in the princely state of Hyderabad in 1948 though it was preceded and succeeded by bouts of violence and human misery. It was on this day that the Nizam VII, Mir Osman Ali Khan, had surrendered to the Indian Union, ending 13 months of political uncertainty in Hyderabad state after India attained freedom on August 15, 1947.Though military-administrator took control of Hyderabad on September 18, 1948, all government orders (firmans) were issued in the name of the Nizam till January 25, 1950 a day before India became the Republic. The Nizam became the Raj Pramukh (governor) of Hyderabad state on January 26, 1950.

The six-day Operation Polo, popularly known as Police Action, that led to the merger of Hyderabad state, centred around one man - Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, which ruled over Hyderabad for a little over 200 years. His 37-year reign that shaped modern Hyderabad notwithstanding, Mir Osman Ali Khan remains the most vilified ruler in India after Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, thanks to his decision to remain independent after the British left India and the violence by private militia Razakars led by Kasim Rizvi.
So vilified that none of the VIP speakers at the centenary (2017) of Osmania University, which the Nizam established, had made even a passing reference to the Nizam. Osman Ali Khan had revolutionized the concept of higher education by introducing a vernacular language as the medium of instruction in Osmania University, winning accolades from Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Last Governor-General of India C Rajagopalachari had described Nizam's decision on vernacular language as a bold step and called Osmania University as a true swadeshi institution.
The Nizam may have been demonised, but city historians credit him with shaping the modern Hyderabad. He banned cow slaughter, abolished death penalty, separated judiciary from executive subjecting himself to the rule of law, laid the foundation for modern Hyderabad and resurrected Ellora and Ajanta paintings and contributed 5000 kgs of gold to India Defence Fund, says INTACH Hyderabad convener P Anuradha Reddy.
"The Nizam decided to remain independent. He also signed a standstill agreement with India buying time to take decision on joining the Indian Union. Many Hindus too wanted Hyderabad state to remain independent. Except for the last two years of his regime, which are marked by controversies, the Nizam had a glorious rule," she told TOI.
Arguing that it is wrong to celebrate September 17 as Hyderabad liberation day, Democratic and Secular Alliance president Dr K Chiranjeevi, who is also a scholar on Telangana history, said the Nizam's rule continued till January 25, 1950. "Osman Ali Khan announced on November 24, 1949 that Hyderabad state would adopt the Indian Constitution when it was in drafting stage. "The Nizam had kept his word January 26, 1950," Dr Chiranjeevi said.
Nizam's grandson Najaf Ali Khan described Osman Ali Khan's rule as "a golden era of development and prosperity". Finding fault with the term, liberation day, he told TOI "Liberation means 'the action of setting someone free from imprisonment, slavery, or oppression'. I would like to ask the celebrators of so-called liberation, if the Nizam's reign was marked by tyranny, why then after the accession of Hyderabad to India, was he made the Raj Pramukh?"