This Indian king had net worth over Rs 20350000000000, he measured diamonds in kilos and gold in tons, but ate in tin plate and smoked used cigarettes, he is…

India.com

17-06-2025

There are many stories about the royal families of India about their grand palaces, huge wealth, and luxurious lifestyle. But the story of Mir Osman Ali Khan, the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad, is truly one of a kind. He was once the richest man in the world, with more money than most could imagine. But what made him famous was not just his wealth, it was his unbelievable stinginess.
He measured diamonds in kilos and Gold in tons
Osman Ali Khan had so much treasure that it was said diamonds were measured in kilograms and gold in tons. He had more than 50 Rolls-Royce cars in his collection. His total wealth was estimated to be 236 billion dollars, which today is more than Rs. 20,35,57,67,00,000 (over Rs. 20 lakh crore).
One of his diamonds, the Jacob Diamond, weighed 185 carats and was used by the Nizam as a paperweight. That one diamond alone was worth over Rs. 1,350 crore. He had several palaces and often stayed at the grand Falaknuma Palace, located in the heart of Hyderabad.
A palace with 220 rooms and a 101-seater dining table
Falaknuma Palace was built in 1893 and had 220 rooms, spread across 32 acres. It was known for its beauty and once even featured on the cover of Time magazine. Inside was the world's longest dining table 80 feet long, where 101 guests could eat at once.
More generous than governments, yet personally stingy
Though very wealthy, the Nizam was also very generous in times of need. During the 1965 war with China, he donated five tons of gold to the Indian government. That's 5,000 kilograms of gold, a donation no one else had ever made.
But when it came to spending on himself, he was extremely miserly. According to authors Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins in their book Freedom at Midnight, the Nizam was known to pick up used cigarette stubs left by guests and smoke them. He wore the same cap for 35 years, didn't get his clothes ironed, and ate his meals in old tin plates, even though he had golden utensils that could feed 200 people at once.
He preferred junk cars despite owning luxury vehicles
Even though he owned dozens of luxury cars, including Rolls-Royces, he usually rode in an old, broken-down car. If he ever saw a beautiful car in his city, he would ask the owner to gift it to him, and most people didn't dare say no. Still, he preferred to ride in old vehicles instead of his luxury collection.
Mir Osman Ali Khan's story is full of contrast, he had unmatched wealth, yet lived like a poor man. He gave generously to the country, but refused to spend on his own comforts.