Latest news with #MirOsmanAliKhan
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Hyderabad's historical royal mosque to now double up as legal mediation centre
Hyderabad: The historical royal mosque in Public Gardens in the city will now double up as an authorised mediation centre to resolve various legal issues through arbitration. This is the first mediation centre to be attached to a mosque in the two Telugu states. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The mediation centre, which will be open to people cutting across religious lines, will formally begin functioning from Saturday. The aim behind the centre is to help people resolve disputes and avoid knocking on the doors of police stations and courts for every issue. The mediation outcome will be binding on the disputing parties and its order recognised by court. The royal mosque, which was the official mosque of the princely state of Hyderabad where Nizam VII Mir Osman Ali Khan offered Friday congregational prayers, has been running some sort of mediation centre for many years. But this centre had no recognition. Now, with the permission from the Telangana Legal Services Authority, it will formally become an authorised mediation centre. All the staff handling the centre have been trained and certified by the legal services authority. Of late, mosques in Hyderabad have evolved into community and social service centres, with several of them running clinics, old age homes, diagnostic centres, coaching classes for competitive exams and schools. A brainchild of moulana Dr Ahsan bin Mohammad Al-Hamoomi, Imam of the royal mosque, the mediation centre will deal with all types of civil disputes, including marital and inheritance. It will function every Saturday after the Zohar prayers (around 2 pm). Named Al-Ifadah Mediation Centre, it will primarily focus on issues related to the Muslim community, though people of all religions may approach it for out-of-court solution of their legal problems. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'This centre is a second opinion legal cell. We have legal experts supervising us with their guidance,' said Dr Ahsan, adding that most problem could be solved through mediation without people having to spend years fighting in courts. He, however, pointed out that those not satisfied by the mediation may go to court. 'We will not give judgment, but our decisions will be authorised by courts,' he said. The entire proceeding will be kept confidential and the identity of the disputing parties will not be revealed to the public. Renowned preacher Asifuddin Muhammed welcomed the establishment of the mediation centre, emphasising its role in fostering peace within the Muslim community by providing a dignified alternative to police intervention for domestic disputes. 'This initiative promotes harmony, preserves family bonds, ensures confidentiality, aligns with Islamic principles, and eases the burden on police personnel and the judiciary,' Asifuddin said, urging the community to support the effort. It Will Be Open To All Religions, Says Imam
News18
12-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
No, The Nizam Of Hyderabad Did Not Donate 5,000 Kg Gold During 1965 India-Pakistan War
Last Updated: While folklore has long credited Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam of Hyderabad, with donating 5,000 kg of gold to the Indian Army, historical records suggest otherwise When a country is at war, common people often wonder how they can best support their troops? The simplest way is to contribute to the national defence fund and similar schemes. Amid the latest conflict with Pakistan too, acts of grassroots patriotism are making headlines. In Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur district, two village leaders – Satish Tiwari of Akodhi and Chandrabhushan Singh of Paderi – have donated Rs 98,000 to the Army Fund. Their gesture was handed over in the form of a demand draft to District Magistrate Priyanka Niranjan. 'This is our way of standing with the soldiers," they said, echoing sentiments seen in past wartime efforts. Such civilian-led contributions harken back to the days of the 1965 India-Pakistan War. One of the most storied instances from that era involves Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam of Hyderabad – then regarded as one of the richest men in the world. While folklore has long credited him with donating 5,000 kg of gold to the Indian Army, historical records suggest otherwise. In reality, the Nizam contributed 425 kg of gold, not as a donation, but as an investment in the National Defence Gold Scheme initiated by the government. This investment was made following a personal appeal by then prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, who met the Nizam during a fundraising tour of Hyderabad. According to a report dated December 11, 1965, in an English-language newspaper, Shastri acknowledged the Nizam's contribution during a public address, noting that the gold – valued at Rs 50 lakh at the time – was deposited in the form of coins, whose authenticity and purity were later verified. 'We do not want to melt these gold coins, but want to send them to some other country so that we can get a higher price for it," Shastri had reportedly remarked. His government was also buoyed by a 125 kg gold donation from the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) and a Rs 8 lakh donation from a prominent Telugu film actor. The most common way to contribute to the armed forces' efforts now is the National Defence Fund. The NDF of India was established in 1962 to support the welfare of members of the Indian armed forces, paramilitary forces, and their dependents. It is used primarily to assist the families of soldiers who have lost their lives or suffered serious injuries while serving the nation. The fund is managed by an executive committee headed by the Prime Minister, with the Defence, Finance, and Home Ministers as members. The NDF relies entirely on voluntary donations from individuals, organisations, and corporates. It is not allocated any budgetary funds by the government, making public contributions vital. The donations are exempt from income tax under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act, encouraging people to contribute generously. First Published: May 12, 2025, 14:32 IST
India.com
25-04-2025
- Business
- India.com
Meet India's first billionaire, Osman Ali, much richer than Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani, Narayana Murthy, he was from..., had net worth of Rs...
When we talk about India's richest person, the names that often pop up in mind are Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani, Narayana Murthy, and more. However, do you know that their wealth is nothing compared to the man who was the first billionaire of India? Yes, you read that right. Today, we will tell you about India's first richest billionaire who once ruled a princely state in India. If you are wondering who this man was, let us tell you—he was the last Nizam of Hyderabad, whose impressive riches made headlines across the globe. Apart from wealth, this man also had an impressive collection of gems, including the iconic Koh-i-Noor, a fleet of Rolls-Royce cars, royal ties with Queen Elizabeth, and more. The man in discussion is none other than the seventh and last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan. Who was Mir Osman Ali Khan? Born on April 6, 1886, Mir Osman Ali Khan was the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad and ruled from 1911 until 1948. His reign marked a golden era for Hyderabad, as during this time, the state witnessed massive growth in terms of infrastructure, education, and culture. In the 1940s, Mir Osman Ali Khan's net worth was approximately 236 billion US Dollars (Rs 17.47 lakh crore), if adjusted for inflation. Mir Osman Ali Khan's Sources of Income Mir Osman Ali Khan's massive source of income came from his Golconda diamond mines, one of the world's richest sources of diamonds. His fortune was so immense that it made up 2% of the United States' GDP at the time. Mir Osman Ali Khan also featured on the cover of TIME magazine in 1937 with the title 'The Richest Man in the World.' Not just that, Mir Osman Ali Khan was also the owner of some of the most famous gems that ever existed in the world. His Golconda diamond mines were the ones that introduced the world to the Koh-i-Noor, the Darya-i-Nur, and the massive Jacob Diamond. The Jacob Diamond had a net worth of 120 million US Dollars, equivalent to Rs 1,000 crore. One will not believe that Mir Osman Ali Khan owned as many as 50 Rolls-Royce cars, including the prestigious Silver Ghost Throne Car. This is not it—Mir Osman Ali also introduced Deccan Airways, which was one of the earliest private airlines in British India. The wealth of the Nizam made headlines when the Indian government purchased the Nizam's collection of 173 jewels in 1995 for Rs 218 crore. Among these pieces, it consisted of 2,000 carats of emeralds, 40,000 chows of pearls, bangles, necklaces, cufflinks, and even pendants. Mir Osman Ali Khan was an important figure in history. He made major contributions to the welfare of the people.
