Esra Birgen

Princess Esra Birgin
BornEsra Birgen
1936 (age 87–88)
Turkey
SpouseMukarram Jah, Crown Prince of Hyderabad
(1959–1974; divorced)
Issue

Princess Esra Birgen (born Esra Birgen; 1936) is a Hyderabadi Noble from Turkey, who was once married to Crown Prince Mukarram Jah, the Head of the House of Asaf Jah of the Kingdom of Hyderabad.[1][2]

Personal life

Princess Esra married Prince Mukarram Jah in 1959. They were married for 15 years. They have a son Azmet (born 1962) and a daughter Shekhya (born 1964). She lives in London.

Palace restoration

Princess Esra is credited with the restoration of Chowmahalla Palace[when?] and Falaknuma Palace.[3][better source needed] The former was opened to the public while the latter was leased as a luxury hotel to the Taj Group.

She appointed architect Rahul Mehrotra to restore the Chowmahalla Palace.[4]

She initiated a project for the royal palaces in August 2000. The restoration project for Chowmahalla Palace involved tasks ranging from stabilising the existing structural components to reconstitution of collapsed and dilapidated sections of the complex, restoration of external and internal spaces and decorative elements and finishes.[citation needed]

Donation to Yadadri temple

On behalf of the Nizam Family,[5] she donated a gold chain worth Rs 6 lakh to the Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple, Yadadri. The gold necklace was handed over to the temple Executive Officer Geetha by Yadagirigutta Temple Development Authority (YTDA) vice-chairman Kishan Rao.[6][7]

References

  1. ^ "Nizamian grandeur to Taj Falaknuma". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  2. ^ "Esra to brandish Nizams' swords". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  3. ^ "UNESCO heritage conservation award for Chowmahalla Palace, IBN Live News". ibnlive.in.com. Archived from the original on 13 October 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  4. ^ Gudrais, Elizabeth (25 April 2012). "Designs for a New India". Harvard Magazine. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  5. ^ Service, Express News (27 February 2023). "Nizam's relatives donate necklace to Yadadri temple". The New Indian Express.
  6. ^ "Nizam's relatives donate necklace to Yadadri temple". 27 February 2023.
  7. ^ "Princess Esra donates gold jewellery to Yadadri Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy". 26 February 2023.