Nawab Najaf Ali Khan, cousin of Azmet Jah, also known as Mir Mohammed Azmat Ali Khan, has questioned the coronation of the latter in a hush-hush ceremony in Hyderabad on Friday night. Azmet Jah was declared as the successor of titular Nizam Mukarram Jah, who passed away in Turkey recently and was buried at the Asaf Jahi ancestral tombs inside the historic Mecca Masjid. Azmet Jah was anointed the ninth Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, and a declaration was issued by the office of the former stating that Azmet Jah would “accede father as the IXth head of Asaf Jahi dynasty for all symbolic, ceremonial, titular, and ancillary purposes.”
However, Nawab Najaf Ali Khan has opposed Azmet Jah’s coronation, stating that people should not fall for his anointment as he cannot be the successor. Khan added that “false self-declarations do not mandate Azmet Jah to hold the title of Nizam IX.” Citing the abolishment of Titles and Privy Purses in 1971, Khan argued that the decree issued by the office of Azmet Jah declaring him as the head of Asaf Jahi dynasty is “not legally valid.”
A year ago, Nawab Najaf Ali Khan had petitioned in a city court and claimed that the eight titular Nizam Mukarram Jah was not the sole owner of Falaknuma Palace, King Kothi Palace/Nazri Bagh, Chowmahalla Palace, Purani Haveli in Hyderabad, and Harewood Cedars Bungalow at Ooty in Tamil Nadu.
These allegations and counter-allegations have cast a shadow over the illustrious history of the Asaf Jahi Dynasty, which has left an indelible mark on the culture, art, and society of Hyderabad. H.E. Nawab Raunaq Yar Khan, the esteemed great-grandson of His Exalted Highness, Sir Mir Mahboob Ali Khan, the VI Nizam of Hyderabad State, was crowned as the IX Nizam of the Asaf Jahi Dynasty in March 2023. This event marked a pivotal moment in the dynasty’s history, contesting the claims of Azmet Jah, the son of the last ruling Nizam, Mukarram Jah. Although the title of Nizam holds no official power following Hyderabad’s annexation by India in 1948, it remains a ceremonial role within the Asaf Jahi family. Raunaq Yar Khan serves as the family’s representative, liaising with the government and overseeing their properties.
H.E. Nawab Raunaq Yar Khan is renowned for his passionate advocacy for Hyderabad’s heritage and stands as a prominent figure of the dynasty. His writing merges academic rigor with captivating storytelling, often enriched by personal anecdotes that breathe life into historical accounts. This project aspires to bridge the historical significance of the Nizams with contemporary audiences, celebrating their profound contributions to art, architecture, and socio-economic influence.
As a distinguished content writer with over two decades of experience specializing in the historical and cultural narratives of the Nizams of Hyderabad, Sahib-e-Qalam crafts concise, engaging, and SEO-optimized meta titles, descriptions, summaries, categories, and tags. The portfolio showcases a diverse range of writings that delve into the Nizams’ profound contributions to art, architecture, and their socio-economic influence. The writing merges academic rigor with captivating storytelling, often enriched by personal anecdotes that breathe life into historical accounts.
