His Exalted Highness (H.E.H) Nawab Mir Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII was the last Nizam of Hyderabad. After formation of India, he was made Rajpramukh (Governor) of Andhra Pradesh based on Public demand. He was also the richest man on earth[1] with the Golconda mines making Hyderabad the main supplier of diamonds in the world until that time.
During his reign, he introduced many educational reforms. About a whopping 11% of the Nizam's budget was spent on education and primary education made compulsory and free to the poor.[5]
He also made large donations to many institutions in India and abroad with special emphasis given to educational institutions. He made donation Rs 10 Lakh for the Banaras Hindu University[6] and Rs. 5 Lakh for the Aligarh Muslim University during 1950's[5]
HEH The Nizam with his Royal subjects (Maharaja Kishen Prasad) to his right
Osmania University
He also founded the popular Osmania University in 1918 through a royal (Order) "firman" .[7]
Today it is one of the biggest universities in India. Schools, colleges and a Department for Translation were set up. Primary education was made compulsory and free for the poor.[8]
Notable Donations
Osman Ali Khan(right) with Jawaharlal Nehru and Maulana Abul kalam Azad(behind)
Donation for compilation of the (Hindu) holy Mahabharata
In the year 1932, The Bhandarkar oriental research institute in Pune, needed money for the compilation and publication of the Hindu epic-Mahabharata and a guest house. A formal request was made to the seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan who in no time released a farman of Rs.1000 per year for a period of 11 years. Whereas, Rs. 50,000 was offered for the guest which is known as "Nizam guest house".[5][9]
After hearing about the Golden Temple of Amritsar through Maharaja Ranjit Singh,[13][14] he started providing it with yearly grants.[15][16]
Donation to Indian Army in Indo-China War
The 7th nizam donated 5000 kgs of Gold to Indian Govt during Indo-China war in 1965.[17][18]
Final years and death
The Nizam continued to stay at the King Kothi Palace until his death. He used to issue firmans on inconsequential matters in his newspaper, the Nizam Gazette.
He died on Friday, 24 February 1967. In his will, he asked to buried in Masjid-e Judi, a mosque where his mother was buried, that faced King Kothi Palace.[19][20] The government declared state mourning on 25 February 1967, the day when he was buried. State government offices remained closed as a mark of respect while the National Flag of India was flown at half-mast on all the government buildings throughout the state.[21] The Nizam Museum documents state :
"The streets and pavements of the city were littered with the pieces of broken glass bangles as an incalculable number of women broke their bangles in mourning, which Telangana women usually do as per Indian customs on the death of a close relative."[22]
"The Nizam's funeral procession was the biggest non-religious, non-political meeting of people in the history of India till that date."
Millions of people of all religions from different parts of the state entered Hyderabad in trains, buses and bullocks for a last glimpse of their king in a coffin in the King Kothi Palace Camp in Hyderabad.[23] The crowd was so uncontrollable that barricades were installed alongside the road to enable people to move in a queue.[24] D. Bhaskara Rao, chief curator, of the Nizam's Museum stated that an estimated one million (1 million) people were part of the procession.[25]
