The esteemed H.E. Nawab Raunaq Yar Khan, great-grandson of His Exalted Highness, Sir Mir Mahboob Ali Khan, the VI Nizam of Hyderabad State, was coronated as the IX Nizam of the Asaf Jahi Dynasty in March 2023. This momentous event was supported by over 4,500 members of the Royal Family, marking a significant chapter in the dynasty’s illustrious history.
Despite the annexation of Hyderabad by India in 1948, the title of Nizam remains a ceremonial role within the Asaf Jahi family. H.E. Nawab Raunaq Yar Khan, renowned for his passionate advocacy for Hyderabad’s heritage, serves as the family’s representative, liaising with the government and overseeing their properties.
The coronation of H.E. Nawab Raunaq Yar Khan was preceded by a decree made by Nawab Mir Barkat Ali Khan Walashan Mukaram Jah Bahadur, the VIII Nizam of Hyderabad, designating his eldest son as his successor. The ceremony, held at the Chowmohalla Palace in Hyderabad, was a simple affair attended by the family members of the VIII Nizam.
“On Friday, the 20th day of January, in terms of the desire and the decree made by Nawab Mir Barkat Ali Khan Walashan Mukaram Jah Bahadur H.E.H., the VIII Nizam of Hyderabad, during his lifetime, anointing his eldest son Mir Mohammed Azmat Ali Khan Azmat Jah as his successor in title and to accede to his father as the IXth head of the Asaf Jahi dynasty for all symbolic, ceremonial, and ancillary purposes. The ceremony was a simple one in the presence of the family members of Mukarram Jah.”
Although the title of the Nizam is not officially recognized by the government since its abolition in 1971, the House of Asif Jah continues its tradition that began nearly seven generations ago. The coronation of H.E. Nawab Raunaq Yar Khan serves as a testament to the enduring legacy of the Nizams and their profound contributions to art, architecture, and socio-economic influence.
