Hyderabad: The birth anniversary of the last and the richest Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan, was observed on Thursday. Relatives, historians, and others visited Masjid-e-Judi at King Kothi to offer floral tributes.
On the occasion of his birth anniversary, Mir Najaf Ali Khan, the grandson of Mir Osman Ali Khan, urged the state government to declare a holiday.
Richest Nizam of Hyderabad
Mir Osman Ali Khan who ruled the largest princely state in British India from 1911 to 1948 was one of the richest persons in the world, with a net worth of USD 236 billion (adjusted for inflation).
Mir Osman Ali Khan’s wealth can be gauged by the fact that he used the rare Jacob diamond, a 185-carat lime-sized gem, as a paperweight and owned the Golconda Diamond Mines, which was a significant source of his wealth. He also owned 50 Rolls-Royce cars. In 1937, TIME magazine referred to him as the ‘richest man on the planet.’
The size of the erstwhile Hyderabad state was roughly the size of the present-day United Kingdom.
Architect of modern Hyderabad
Mir Osman Ali Khan was not just known for his wealth but was also a good administrator. He is called the ‘Architect of modern Hyderabad’ for his contribution to the development of the city.
He established Osmania University in 1918, introduced electricity, developed railways, roads, and airports, and established many institutions, including Osmania General Hospital, State Bank of Hyderabad, Begumpet Airport, and Hyderabad High Court. To prevent Hyderabad from floods, he built Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar and also built the Nizam Sagar Dam.
Even after the merger of Hyderabad into India, he was made Rajpramukh of Hyderabad. He served the Hyderabad State between 1950 and 1956 as Rajpramukh.
He passed away at the age of 80 years on February 24, 1967, and was laid to rest at Masjid-e-Judi at King Kothi.
