Mir Osman Ali Khan

Mir Osman Ali Khan is the current ruler of Hyderabad since 1911 when his father had died. He is the ruler of the Kingdom of Hyderabad known to be the last ruler of Hyderabad as a Princely State of the British Raj and the first ruler of Hyderabad since it was annexed into a Puppet State of the Indo-Persian Empire.

He was known as the "Architect of modern Hyderabad" and is credited with establishing many public institutions in the city of Hyderabad, including among others: Osmania University, Osmania General Hospital, State Bank of Hyderabad, Begumpet Airport, and the Hyderabad High Court. Two reservoirs, Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar, were built during his reign, to prevent another great flood in the city.

## History

### Early Life

Mir Osman Ali Khan was born 6  April 1886, the second son of Mahbub Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VI and Amat-uz-Zahra Begum at Purani Haveli (also known as Masarrat Mahal palace). He was educated privately and reportedly became fluent in Urdu, Persian, Arabic and English. Under Nawab Muhammad Ali Beg he received court ethics and military training.

On the recommendation of the Viceroy of India, Lord Elgin in 1898, in early 1899 Sir Brian Egerton (of the Egerton family and former tutor to Maharajah of Bikaner Ganga Singh) was appointed as Mir Osman Ali Khan's English tutor for two years. During this period he lived away from the principal palace. He lived on his own to avoid the unwholesome atmosphere of palace quarters under the guidance of Sir Egerton and other British officials and mentors so he could flourish as a gentleman of the highest class. Sir Egerton recorded that as a child, Mir Osman Ali Khan was magnanimous and "anxious to learn". Because of the indomitable attitude of zenana (the women) who were determined to send Mir Osman Ali Khan out of Hyderabad for further studies, he pursued them at Mayo College after consultation with the principal nobles of the Paigah family.

### Reign

Mir Mahboob Ali Khan the VI Nizam died on 29 August 1911 and on the same day Mir Osman Ali Khan was proclaimed Nizam VII under the supervision of Nawab Shahab Jung, a minister of Police and Public works. On 18 September 1911, the crowning ceremony was official celebrated at Chowmahalla Palace. His coronation Durbar (court) included the prime minister of Hyderabad, Kishen Pershad, Colonel Alexander Pinhey (1911–1916) British resident of Hyderabad, the Paigah, and the distinguished nobles of the state and the head of principalities under Nizam domain.

The famous mines of Golconda were the major source of wealth for the Nizams, with the Kingdom of Hyderabad being the only supplier of diamonds for the global market in the 18th century.

Mir Osman Ali Khan acceded as the Nizam of Hyderabad upon the death of his father in 1911. The state of Hyderabad was the largest of the princely states in pre-independence India. With an area of 86,000 square miles (223,000 km2), it was roughly the size of the present-day United Kingdom. The Nizam was the highest-ranking prince in India, was one of only five princes entitled to a 21-gun salute, held the unique title of "Nizam", and titled "His Exalted Highness" and "Faithful Ally of the British Crown".

### Reza Shah's Conquest

Reza Shah conquered his Princely State with all the other Princely States of India during his conquest of the region. Mir Osman Ali Khan finding out about Reza's conquest decided to meet the monarch. The Nizam decided to submit to Reza Shah as a Puppet Monarch later on as the British retreated from India due to the British Invasion.

## Marriages

At the age of 21, on 14 April 1906, he married Azam Unnisa Begum (Dulhan Pasha Begum), a daughter of the noble Nawab Jahangir Jung. They have two sons

* Azam Jah (b. 1907) married Princess Durru Shehvar (b. 1914) who is the daughter of the Ottoman Sultan Abdulmejid II.
	+ Mukarram Jah (b. 1933)
* Moazzam Jah (b. 1907) married Princess Bodagh Farman Farmaian (b. 1909) daughter of Prince Abdol-Hossein Farman Farma, President of the Privy Council of Indo-Persia.