With the Madrasa-e-Aliya, a remnant of erstwhile Hyderabadi nobility, turning 150, its alumni are set to celebrate the existence and contribution of their alma mater.
The alumni are from all walks of life and comprise professionals, businessmen, entrepreneurs and non-resident Indians.
It was in 1872 that the Diwan (Prime Minister) of Hyderabad, Mir Turab Ali Khan popularly known as Salar Jung – I, established Madrasa-e-Aliya a few years after setting up the Darul Uloom school.
For about a month or so, the alumni have been interacting with one another to ponder over how to celebrate the shaping up of Madrasa-e-Aliya. Also, what role did it play in their lives. They also discussed the contribution of the teachers of the school in shaping their lives.
At a recent meeting, the alumni, including Mohammed Iftekhar Hussain, Syed Hamid Lateef, Ghulam Mohammed, Syed Jahangir, Syed Mohammed Qutubuddin, Sajid Peerzada, Yusuf Jafri, Noorul Anbiya Hussaini and Syed Abdul Mutakabbir Arshad, apart from several others, decided to reminisce and relive fond memories of their school. The group decided to organise cultural events in January next year. As a part of this initiative, several committees have been formed and souvenirs have been designed.
Hyderabad’s celebrated historian the late Omar Khalidi has said that Madrasa-e-Aliya was first located in a mansion in King Kothi. Later, it moved to Asad Bagh which then belonged to Nawab Fakhrul Mulk. In 1949 it moved to Zulqadar Mansion, built in the European style of architecture, in Gunfoundry, Abids, where it has since stayed.
A well-known authority on Hyderabad’s history and culture Karen Leonard writes that while the latter was affiliated to the University of Punjab, it served the nobility, including their sons. The seventh Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan too studied here. Other persons of note include author A Raja Rao, economist and IAS officer of the 1950 batch B P R Vitthal, a member of the 10th Finance Commission.
| 
