A. C. Guards is a locality in the city of
Hyderabad,
Telangana. The name A.C Guards stands for the African Cavalry Guards of
Hyderabad State
Hyderabad State () was a princely state located in the south-central Deccan region of India with its capital at the city of Hyderabad. It is now divided into the present-day state of Telangana, the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka, and t ...
who were stationed there since the time of 6th
Nizam Mahbub Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VI
Asaf Jah VI, also known as, Sir Mir Mahboob Ali Khan Siddiqi Bayafandi (17 August 1866 – 29 August 1911) was the 6th Nizam of Hyderabad. He ruled Hyderabad state, one of the Princely states in India between 1869 and 1911.
Early life
Mahbo ...
.
The barracks are believed be to have been constructed more than 100 years ago and the quarters of A.C Guards were allocated to the African (
Siddi
The Siddi (), also known as the Sheedi, Sidi, or Siddhi, or Habshi are an ethnic group inhabiting India and Pakistan. They are primarily descended from the Bantu peoples of the Zanj coast in Southeast Africa and Ethiopia, most whom arrived to ...
) soldiers of the Nizam's army.
Masab Tank,
Khairtabad
Khairatabad is a neigbbourhood in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It is a mandal in the Secunderabad Revenue division of Hyderabad District. This is a Zone in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. There are five circles in this zone namely ...
are areas adjacent to A.C. Guards.
In the 19th century, the 6th Nizam,
Mir Mahbub Ali Khan, heard of Africans serving in the court of another Indian nobleman. Impressed by their qualities, he asked for a batch of Africans to be brought to Hyderabad. A group of around 300 young men soon followed; most accounts indicate they came voluntarily. It is said that when it came to safeguarding his family, the
7th Nizam had absolute trust in these bodyguards.
Sports
* A.C. Guards Hockey Club
* Bhistiwada Youth Sports Club
References
External links
Hyderabad's African old guardVideo of Soldiers of NIZAMS of HYDERABADLocation on Google Maps
{{Neighbourhoods of Hyderabad
Neighbourhoods in Hyderabad, India
Hyderabad State Forces
Siddhi people