Hyderabad: Despite inheriting a rich legacy and a huge fortune that left the world awestruck, Nizam Mir Barket Ali Khan Walashan Siddiqi Mukarram Jah Bahadur, the titular eighth Nizam of Hyderabad, maintained a low profile and died in obscurity.
Among the Nizams, Mir Barket Ali Khan, or Mukkaram Jah as he was known, was still the last popular face.
Although he lived in Australia and the UK, and Istanbul of Turkey in his last days, interspersed with rare visits to Hyderabad, his heart yearned for his family’s old kingdom so much that he willed for his mortal remains to be buried here.
The Nizam’s dominion was one of the richest states in the world before it merged with India.
Barket Ali Khan, the grandson of Hyderabad’s last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, died in Istanbul, Turkey at 10.30 pm on Saturday at the age of 89.
As per his desire of being laid to rest in his homeland, the mortal remains will be buried at the Asaf Jahi family tombs. The mortal remains will be taken to Chowmahalla Palace and after the rituals to the final resting place.
Barket Ali Khan was anointed the VIIIth Nizam of Hyderabad after the death of his grandfather Mir Osman Ali Khan, the Nizam VII on April 6, 1967, at the historic Chowmahalla Palace. He was heading the Nizam’s Charitable Trust and Mukarram Jah Trust for Education and Learning.
File Photo of Mukarram Jah, is the titular Nizam of Hyderabad ever since his coronation as the Nizam VIII at a glittering ceremony held at Chowmohalla Palace on April 6th, 1967, a few months after the death of his grand father Nizam VII, MIr Osman Ali Khan. The Nizam preferred his grandson over his elder son Prince Azam Jah to succeed him. (Photo: DC) Photo
Deccan Chronicle, now 85 years old, was among the few newspapers that had covered the 90-minute grand coronation ceremony, which was attended by the members of the royal family, nobility of Hyderabad and other distinguished guests.
File Photos of Nizams and Princess photos published exclusively in the Deccan Chronicle pages in the year 1938, May 15th. (Photo: DC)
He was officially called, “His Exalted Highness Prince Rustam-i-Dauran, Arustu-i-Zaman, Wal Mamaluk, Asaf Jah VIII, Muzaffar ul-Mamalik, Nizam ul-Mulk, Nizam ud-Daula, Nawab Mir Barakat Ali Khan Siddiqi Bahadur, Sipah Salar, Fath Jang, Nizam of Hyderabad and Berar.”
“We miss him. He was gentleman to the core and a typical Hyderabadi by heart, who spoke in the language Hyderabadis do. Though he stayed abroad and travelled a lot, he was down to earth. He was a quite a simple man despite being blessed with huge riches,” Faiz Khan, trustee, HEH The Nizams Mukarram Jah Trust for Education and Learning and Vice president of the Hyderabad Public School, told Deccan Chronicle on Tuesday.
He said, “He was in good health and lived a comfortable life. He died in peace. As desired, his mortal remains are being brought to Hyderabad for the last rites. He chose to be buried in Hyderabad, which shows his love for the roots.”
Faiz Khan said he met Mukkaram Jah in Istanbul. “He lived a full life and was always cheerful,” he said.
Mukaram Jah was born to Azam Jah, son of Mir Osman Ali Khan and Princess Duru Shehvar, daughter of the last Sultan of Turkey, Ottoman Empire, Sultan Abdul Mejid II on October 6, 1933, in Nice, France.
The sauvé Mir Barket Ali Khan studied at Doon School in Dehradun, where many royals’ politicians’ children studied, and later at Harrow and Peterhouse, Cambridge. He also went to the London School of Economics and attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, UK.
The Government of India recognised his succession and called him Prince of Hyderabad and Berar till 1971, when then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi abolished privy purses and titles of princely states.
Mukarram Jah married five times and owned fabulous properties, including the famed Falaknuma Palace, which has now been turned into Taj Falaknuma, a star hotel, Chowmahalla Palace, Khilwat Palace, the King Koti palace and the Chiran Palace, besides a large number of gold ornaments. He won 35 million pounds in a London court in 2020 in a case titled the ‘Hyderabad fund case’.
Princess Esra, his first wife, was instrumental in the renovation and lease of Falaknuma Palace to Taj Group of Hotels, India’s most luxurious baroque mansions, besides Chowmahalla Palace among others.
File Photo of Prince Mukarram Jah and his wife Princess Esra at the Chowmohalla Palace after the Coronation ceremony in April 1967. (Photo: DC)
“Princess Esra was responsible for the makeover of the Chowmohalla Palace as it is today. She is calm, energetic and clear in her ideas. I had interacted with her several times. Princess Esra brought the palace to its glory,” said G. Kishan Rao, director of Chowmahalla Palace and the vice-chairman and CEO of Yadadri Temple Development Authority.
The Prince first married Princess Esra Birgin of Turkey, with whom he has two children, Prince Azmat Ali Khan and Princess Shehkyar, and then married Helen Simmons of Australia, with whom he has one son, Prince Alexander Azam Khan, who stays in London.
Later, he married Manolya Onur, with whom he has a daughter Niloufer, followed by marriages with Jameela Boularous and then fifth Princess Ayesha Orchedi.
Mukarram Jah had to navigate through financial chaos, huge staff, a large number of properties, claimants and legal fights immediately after the death of Mir Osman Ali Khan, Nizam VII. He also lost a legal fight with his third wife, Manolya Onur of Turkey, for maintenance and compensation package.
But he overcame all hurdles and was successful.
