Nizam’s Jewellery Likely To Be Displayed After 12 Years In New Delhi

by Abbas Adil

Hyderabad : After 12 long years Hyderabad Nizam’s jewellery collection will be on display at the Indian Museum in Delhi.

The date has not been decided yet, but National Museum authorities have begun the groundwork. 

The National Museum had last exhibited the jewellery in Delhi in 2007. Before that it was exhibited there in 2001. It was also displayed at the Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad for a few days in 2001 and 2006. The jewellery is kept in the vaults of the Reserve Bank of India in Delhi.

The trustee of Nizam VIII Walashan Mukarram Jah Bahadur Trust, Mr Faiz Khan, said the time has come to bring back this jewelry to Hyderabad. “Our Chief Minister, Mr K. Chandrashekar Rao, has shown immense interest in bringing back jewels and had assured the Assembly in November 2017 when MIM Floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi raised the issue. He hoped that the KCR government will pursue the matter with the Union government and ensure its return to Hyderabad.”

Curator of National Museum, New Delhi, Mr. Sanjeeb Kumar told that Nizam’s collection of Jewellery has a unique status. He also said that Jewellery is part of life in India.

It may be mentioned that after the merger of Hyderabad State into Indian Union, the Nizam of Hyderabad, Nawab Mir Osman Ali Khan had founded 54 trusts in 1951. He also established Nizam’s Jewellery Trust which got 103 unique Jewellery items. In 1952, Nizam’s Jewellery Trust acquired 144 Jewellery items. In 1972, negotiations between Govt. of India and the family members of Nizam started regarding the sale of these Jewellery items. In 1995, Govt. of India acquired a portion of the Jewellery for Rs. 217 crore. It is reported that the determination of value of Jewellery item is very difficult since these are unique in nature in the sub-continent. These are the silent witnesses of the history of the Deccan. These Jewellery items include Jacob Diamond (185 carats).

Noted historian, Deepti Sasidharan told that it is the national asset. It should be kept permanently for the Indian public. Meanwhile, former wife of the present Nizam, Nawab Mir Barkat Ali Khan, Princess Esra also desired that these Jewellery items should be kept permanently in Hyderabad. She wrote in a book titled, ‘Treasure of the Jewels of Nizam’ that the world knows only two diamonds which are decorating the crowns. The one is in Iran and the other in England.

It may be mentioned that on 27th July 1991, the value of these Jewellery items was estimated at Rs. 225, 37, 33, 951 but the Supreme Court of India reduced its value on technical grounds. An international auction house estimated its value as Rs. 1192 crore and 32 lakh.

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