Mir Yousuf Ali Khan, Salar Jung III

Nawab Abul Quasim Owaisi Mir Yousuf Ali Khan, Salar Jung III famously known as 'Salar Jung III' was the fourth in order of nobility after the three Paigah.

The family of Salar Jung from his paternal side were serving for five generations as Prime Ministers including Nawab Mir Alam Bahadur, Nawab Mir Ali Zman Khan Muneer ul Mulk, Nawab Mir Mohammad Ali Khan Shuja ud Dowla Salar Jung, Nawab Mir Turab Ali Khan, Salar Jung I, Nawab Mir Laiq Ali Khan Salar Jung II. From his maternal side, he was the great grandson of Nawab Syed Gulam Ali Khan, Mansoor-Ud-Dowla, The Nawab of Banaganapally and great grandson of Nawab Syed Bahadur Ali Khan Karar Jung Mansoor ud Doula, Madar-Ul-Maham in erstwhile state of Hyderabad.

Nawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan, Salar Jung III, was Prime Minister of Hyderabad state during the reign of Mir Osman Ali Khan, VII Nizam. He succeeded Maharaja Sir Kishen Pershad as the Prime Minister in 1912 when he was 23 years old, but resigned two and half years later.

On his death, 2 March 1949, a Special Regulation was passed by the Government of Hyderabad State known as “Salar Jung Estate (Administration) Regulation No. XXXIV of 1358 Fasli” and all the properties of the Yousuf Ali Khan were vested under the said act. The said regulation had also received the assent of the Nizam. The terms of the regulation were amended under Salar Jung (Administration) Amendment Regulation 1358 Fasli under letter No. LXIV of 1358 Fasli under section (3) of the said regulation that the Estate of Yousuf Ali Khan Salar Jung III including his personal properties have been vested in the Salar Jung Estate Committee, accordingly the said committee had been exercising all the rights over the personal properties of Nawab Yousuf Ali Khan Salar Jung-III and those regulations were passed by the Gen. J. N. Choudhry, who was the Military Governor of Hyderabad State during that relevant period. Under the said regulation The Estate of Yousuf Ali Khan, Salar Jung III was administrated by The Salar Jung Estate Committee till dissolved by the Notification by the Government under G.O.M. No. 952 Revenue dated 18-05-1959.

In the year 1949, an Ordinance No.XXIX was passed by Governor-General, Government of India that in the year 1950, the Central Government had made enactment to the Nawab Salar Jung Bahadur (Administration of Assets) Act 1950, No.XXXVI of 1950 which received assent of The President of India on 19 April 1950 and the same was published in The Gazette of India Extraordinay, Part-II section-I, page no. 46, dated 21-04-1950.

The schedule of properties covered by the enactment include all the properties of Nawab in other States such as Mysore State, Bombay state & Tamil Nadu state apart from the properties in Hyderabad, Secunderabad and Ranga Reddy District and other districts of erstwhile Hyderabad State (now part of Andhra Pradesh).

That in the year 1949, an Enactment of Abolition of Jagir came into force by Regulation No. LXIX 1358 Fasli in Hyderabad state on 15-08-1949 which is known as "Jagir Abolition Regulation Act". After promulgation of the said act, the revenue lands of Nawab were taken over on 20-09-1949 by the Jagir Administrator. But, later on, Jagir Administrator released some of the properties. One such batch of property so released is listed in the letter of Jagir Administrator No. 808/CH, dated 24-04-1954. The Government of Hyderabad upon the application from the Estate Salar Jung Committee issued a Notification No.1550/1, dated 15-02-1956 in conducting the Inam Enquiry of the Estate of Nawab Yousuf Ali Khan, Salar Jung-III and Government Gazette dated 29-03-1956 was released in file No.2/56 of 1956.

That in the year 1955, a suit for succession to the Salar Jung Estate was filed by one Syed Hassan, son of late Abdullah, before the city civil court at Hyderabad for succession of Nawab Yousuf Ali Khan, Salar Jung-III. The said suit latter on made over to the High Court of A.P. under its jurisdiction and renumbered as C.S.No.13/58, all the claimants to the Estate of Nawab Yousuf Ali Khan, Salar Jung-III were defendants to the said suit, the State Government, Central Government, Salar Jung Estate Committee and Jagir Administrator were also parties to the said suit as defendants No,14, 15, 16 and 17, and a compromise was arrived between the parties and the same presented through application no. 134/58, 137/58, 138/58 and 139/58 dated 27-11-58 and 02-12-58, in pursuance of the same a preliminary decree was passed in the said suit.

Subsequently, the defendants No.14, 15, 16 and 17, took over the Salar Jung Museum, the Salar Jung Library, land admeasuring 28,390 sq. yds. at Nawab Salar Jung Baradari on the banks of river Musi and a cash sum of Rs. 5,00,000 for construction of the present Salar Jung Museum Building.

In view of the Orders passed by the Board of Revenue and Commissioner a civil suit O.S.156/1980 was filed before the Hon'ble VII Senior Civil Judge, City Civil Court, Hyderabad for grant of succession of Salar Jung -III wherein after 24 years in 2004, it was held that Late Nawab Syed Abdullah was the maternal uncle of Salar Jung - III declared as legal heir and successor of Salar Jung - III.

The Declaration of succession of Nawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan Salar Jung III was decided in the civil suit O.S.No.156/80 The successors of Salar Jung -III, Late Nawab Syed Abdullah and legal heirs had to wait for 58 long years after Nawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan Salar Jung III's death for the pronouncement of the Judgement above.

Aggrieved by the Orders & Judgment in O.S.156/1980 declaring Late Nawab Syed Abdullah as successor of Salar Jung -III, The claimants Nawab Turab Yar Jung group preferred appeal A.S.No.222/05 and A.S.No.335/05 on the file of Hon’ble III Addl. Chief Judge, city civil court at Hyderabad, and the said appeal was also dismissed 01-08-2007, and no second appeal was preferred, accordingly confirming the judgment and decree in O.S.No.156/80 and 1451/1983 dated 12-10-2004, which has become final and all his properties have devolved only in favour the Defendants 24 to 43, 37 to 65 and 110 as successors of Salar Jung - III through the legacy of Late Nawab Syed Abdullah, the maternal uncle of Salar Jung - III.

That Nawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan, Salar Jung III. was survived by, his sole maternal uncle and only successor Nawab Syed Abdullah who died on 20-02-1954 leaving behind two wives, two daughters & six sons. Through first wife Smt. Amina Begum (Four) sons namely (1) late Nawab Syed Kazim Hussain, (2) late Nawab Syed Ahmed, (3) late Nawab Syed Hassan, (4) late Nawab Syed Hussain and daughters (one) Amtul Raheem and through second wife Smt. Putli Begum (one) daughter Amtul Kareem & sons (Two) namely (1) Nawab Syed Abdul Wahab, (2) Nawab Syed Abdul Hameed.

Nawab Syed Abdul Wahab & Nawab Syed Abdul Hameed are defendants 31 & 32 in O.S.156/1980 also declared as successors of Salar Jung - III through the legacy of their Father Late Nawab Syed Abdullah, the maternal uncle of Salar Jung - III. and hence are the only surviving First Cousins of Nawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan, Salar Jung III.

Nawab Salar Jung III was passionate about collecting rare relics, artifacts, antiques and manuscripts, including the illuminated Qurans. He is believed to have spent a lion's share of his money on his collection over a period of 35 years. The collection, though now at new location, was exhibited privately at their residence, Dewan Devdi until its relocation in 1968 at the present premises of The Salar Jung Museum.