We often heard during our childhood that Tatas and Birlas were the richest persons in the country. But there was someone else who was richer than them not just in India but across the globe. The erstwhile Nizam VII of Hyderabad - Mir Osman Ali Khan is the person in news for entering into the list of world's all time richest persons. According to the new-inflation adjusted list, the seventh ruler of Hyderabad from Asaf Jahis-Nizam VII-became sixth all time richest person in the world with $236 billion.

A brief history:

When Qutub Shahi's (during who reign Hyderabad was formed as Bhagyanagar) after the last ruler was Abul Hasan Qutub Shah (nick named as Tana Shah)  killed by Mughal emperor Aurangazeb, Golconda empire came under the control of Mughals. The noble man of Mughals later took Hyderabad empire under his control and self-proclaimed a title Nizam-Ul-Mulk. He was the founder of Nizam dynasty and was the first Nizam of Hyderabad.  And from the same dynasty came, Mir Osman Ali Khan-the seventh ruler of Hyderabad. Mir Osman Ali Khan was reluctant to merge Hyderabad into India after India got independence and subsequently called for appointment of Razakars (who had moral support from Pakistan) headed by his army chief Qasim Razvi to suppress the Telangana Armed Rebellion (a peasant revolution to overthrow Nizam umpire) . Due to the Telangana Armed Rebellion and subsequent Operation Polo, Nizam VII surrendered himself before Indian army on 18 September 1948 and the day was marked as Hyderabad Liberation Day.

During the rule of Nizam VII, Hyderabad's popularity reached its zenith. Hyderabad had its own airport club, its own currency, its own radio, beautiful structures (today's legislative assembly, High Court). It was during his regime Osmania University was built.

(AW Phani)