The Nizami legacy sits lightly on him

Muffakham Jha Bahadur visits the city few times in a year.

This royal scion hardly looks the prince that he is. Yet catching up with Mir Karamath Ali Khan popularly known as Muffakham Jah Bahadur is not so easy. He keeps flying between London and Hyderabad and is accessible only to some known persons. For the common man ‘Nawab Walashan’ remains a riddle wrapped in an enigma.

However, this time round Muffakham Jah has made quite a few public appearances fuelling rumours that he may be inclined to take more interest in the city affairs. In an unusual move he hosted dinner to friends and acquaintances recently at a star hotel. “No, there was no formal speech. He mingled freely with everyone and made general enquiries,” says former minister, Asif Pasha, who attended the dinner.



Muffakaham Jah usually keeps the media at arm’s length. On occasions when he lowers his guard he makes sure that he doesn’t reveal much. In an informal chat the other day, he made keen enquiries about the electoral scene in the country and the prospects of various parties. He faults the parties for making wild promises without telling from where they would get money to fulfil them. “You can’t fool people anymore,” he remarks.

Muffakham Jha, who has travelled a lot, doesn’t hesitate to call a spade a spade when it comes to civic amenities. He feels the condition of roads and sanitation in Hyderabad leaves much to be desired. “There is so much filth even in areas like Banjara Hills and the less said about the old city the better. We give examples of Singapore and Dubai not knowing that it is Indian brains who did wonders there. If Indians can transform cities elsewhere why can’t they do it here,” he asks.

Why doesn’t he complain to the authorities?

“Bade loge hain. Hamari baat kaun sunta,” he quips lighting a cigarette.

He feels the Nizam’s jewellery could be a source of revenue for the Telangana  state government if displayed permanently in Hyderabad. The fabulous gems have the potential to attract tourists from within and outside the country. “We (Nizam family) forced the Government of India to acquire the jewellery as we wanted the collection to remain in India. It’s such a great heritage and it should be showcased in Hyderabad. All that the government needs to do is to spend a few crores on security,” he says.

Foreign tourists make a beeline to Rajasthan and Taj Mahal and other monuments when Telangana state too has so many heritage sites to boast off. The southern belt linking Hyderabad, Bijapur and Burhanpur should be developed to boost tourism.

However, he is happy at the efforts being made by the Telangana State government to restore the original glory of the Qutb Shahi tombs. Last week he made a detailed inspection of the historic Macca Masjid and saw for himself the ongoing restoration works.

How is a typical day in the life of the prince? Well, early morning one can see him brisk walking in Banjara Hills, dressed in casuals. When in London he walks at the Kensington garden right across his palatial house. During the day he visits the HEH Nizam Trust office at Masab Tank, Princess Durreshehvar Hospital at Purani Haveli and the Princess Esin Girl’s High School adjacent to it. He closely monitors the functioning of these institutes.

“Thanks to technology the office chases me even when I am in London,” he chuckles.

Interestingly, he is not tied down to the past. He was a young boy when his grandfather, the seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, died. “I have heard so much about the Nizam era administration. But I don’t want to live in the past. This is democracy and age of globalisation. There is no use drawing comparisons”, he says.

But he is keen on presenting the Deccan history in the correct perspective. “I want a book to be written reflecting the socio-economic and cultural development of that period,” he says.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in Deccan Chronicle

Dated April 29,2019

Read More

An ongoing photo exhibition at the Salar Jung Museum captures Telangana’s rich rural legacy while emphasising the need for conservation.

P. Anuradha Reddy, president, INTACH, Hyderabad Chapter, along with visitors at an ongoing photo exhibition at the Salar Jung.

A picture is worth a thousand words, and a collage of them has an impact which no other narrative can. A special photo exhibition on ‘Telangana Monuments and Sites’ at the Salar Jung Museum has precisely this kind of effect, with the 59 photographic panels bringing to light the forgotten cultural heritage dotting the rural landscape of Telangana.

Curated by the Salar Jung Museum in association with INTACH, Hyderabad Chapter to mark the International Day for Monuments and Sites, the exhibition comes as an eye-opener. Most visitors are stunned by the rich heritage which, though right in their backyard, is still waiting to be explored and shared.



The photographs give a peep into the rich cultural legacy of Telangana spanning 5000 years, and show how heritage has always been a source of identity and cohesion for communities. Be it the beautiful Thousand Pillar temple of Warangal, the elegant Medak Church or the Pillalamarri banyan tree in Mehboobnagar — the architectural brilliance and significance of these places can’t be missed, proving to be a big draw for devotees and history enthusiasts alike.

If on the one hand, the photographs capture the serene surroundings of Ramappa temple, Deep Mahal at Anantagiri, Kali Peddama Jathra of Mancherial, bastion and fortification wall of Domakonda Fort and the hanging bridge at Lankavara Lake, there are also pictures of step wells, water bodies and tanks located in the premises of ancient temples and forts such as Bhongir Fort, Osmania University garden, Kanteswara temple in Nizambad, Masab Tank and Ibrahimpatnam.  Interestingly, all of these eye catching frames have been shot by Photo Walkers, a group of photographers that includes P. Anuradha Reddy, President, INTACH, Hyderabad Chapter.

“For centuries, the rural landscapes have maintained a balance between human activity and the environment. Though transformation and change remain an ongoing process, they constitute a complex ensemble of tangible and intangible living heritage. It is important that we research, protect and preserve all forms of heritage whether urban or rural,” says Anuradha Reddy, who also emphasises the need for protecting the forests.

Destruction of forests leads to disturbance of flora and fauna and drives animals out of their natural habitats in search of water and food, she adds.

Meanwhile, through such exhibitions, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) seeks to raise awareness about the relevance of rural landscapes, the challenges that encompass their conservation and the resultant benefits. “We want to build links with communities and involve them in conservation of the rural landscape,” says A. Nagender Reddy, In-charge Director, Salar Jung Museum.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in Deccan Chronicle

Dated April 23,2019

Read More

Hyderabadi appointed Indian envoy to Saudi, to focus on research.

Prince Muffakham Jah felicitates Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ausaf Sayeed (right) on Monday.

Good news for Hyderabadi diaspora in Saudi Arabia. A civil servant from their own city is now set to take over as the Indian Ambassador to the kingdom.

Mr Ausaf Sayeed, who till recently served as Indian High Commissioner in Seychelles, will take up the new assignment next week.

 During his third stint in the kingdom, Mr Sayeed plans to work for further strengthening of ties between India and Saudi Arabia. He is keen on promoting the cause of Telangana, his home state.

At a felicitation function organised here recently, Mr Sayeed said he would like to do his bit for Telangana which he had chosen for the additional duty of counselling allotted to IFS cadre. With an economic growth rate of 14 percent, Telangana has become the model state.

The $100b investment promised by the Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman would open a new chapter and further strengthen the age-old ties between the two countries. Mr Sayeed recalled how he worked with the K. Chandrasekhar Rao government when posted to Chicago.

Chicago and Jeddah, Mr Sayeed said, were two places where Hyderabadis had migrated in large numbers. The Nizam was the first to render financial assistance for the railway project in Hijaz and helped in providing electricity to the two holy mosques in Saudi Arabia besides building rubats (guest houses) for pilgrims. “My earlier work here will come handy to help the expatriates”, Mr Sayeed said.

A career diplomat of 1989 batch, Mr Sayeed during his numerous posting abroad had worked to promote the rich customs and traditions of India.

During his previous postings in Saudi Arabia he organised many mushairas and humour sessions, a reason why the Indian community is eagerly looking  forward to his new assignment there. He is also keen to promote Dairatul Maarif, the oriental research and publication bureau, which has rare Arabic books on different subjects. “These books need to be digitalised,” Mr. Sayeed said.

A.K. Khan, Advisor, Minority Affairs, hoped once Mr. Sayeed is in Saudi Arabia he would hasten up the setting up Saudi Consulate in Hyderabad. He also sought assistance from the Islamic Development Bank in the area of education. The Telangana government was spending a whopping  amount on the 206 minority residential schools. He also referred to identification of 10 acres of prime land at Kokapet for setting up of an Islamic Centre.

Prince Muffakham Jah Bahadur was among the scores of persons who attended the felicitation programme organised by Media Plus.

J.S.Ifthekhar,

Hyderabad based journalist.

Article published in Deccan Chronicle

Dated April 16,2019

Read More