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Maharaja Sir Kishen Pershad Bahadur Yamin us-Sultanat (1864 – 13 May 1940) was an Indian noble who served as
Prime Minister of Hyderabad __NOTOC__ This article lists the prime ministers of the Hyderabad State. In 1919, Asaf Jah VII ordered the formation of the Executive Council of Hyderabad, presided by Sir Sayyid Ali Imam, and with eight other members, each in charge of one o ...
twice. He was a childhood friend of the
Nizam The Nizams were the rulers of Hyderabad from the 18th through the 20th century. Nizam of Hyderabad (Niẓām ul-Mulk, also known as Asaf Jah) was the title of the monarch of the Hyderabad State ( divided between the state of Telangana, Mar ...
and was a staunch Nizam loyalist throughout his life. In 1892, Pershad became the '' peshkar'' (deputy minister) of the state. Nine years later, Nizam
Mahbub Ali Khan Mahbub Ali Khan ( bn, মাহবুব আলী খান; 3 November 1934 – 6 August 1984) was a Bangladesh Navy rear admiral and the Chief of Naval Staff from 1979 till his death in 1984. He is known for his heroic actions done for hi ...
appointed him ''
dewan ''Dewan'' (also known as ''diwan'', sometimes spelled ''devan'' or ''divan'') designated a powerful government official, minister, or ruler. A ''dewan'' was the head of a state institution of the same name (see Divan). Diwans belonged to the e ...
'' (prime minister) of the state. During his first tenure as ''dewan'', he was credited with increasing the state's revenue and helping victims of the Great Musi Flood of 1908. In 1926, he was reappointed as ''dewan''. During this period, he passed the Mulki regulations, which favoured local citizens over British for administrative positions. A proponent of the ''
Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb ''Ganga–Jamuni Tehzeeb'' ( Hindustani for '' Ganges–Yamuna Culture''), also spelled as ''Ganga-Jamni Tehzeeb'' or just Hindustani Tehzeeb, is the high culture that arose in the Yamuna-Gangetic plains of northern India, the Hindustan regio ...
'' (culture of the central plains of Northern India), Pershad also wrote
Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
'' Persian poems which were influenced by
Sufism Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality ...
. He was a patron of poetry, paintings and music. He had seven wives including both Hindus and Muslims. Raja Kishen Pershad had built the
Chitragupta Chitragupta (Sanskrit: चित्रगुप्त, 'rich in secrets' or 'hidden picture') is a Hindu deity assigned with the task of keeping complete records of the actions of human beings and punishing or rewarding them according to their ...
Bhagwan Temple in
Hyderabad Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of Southern Indi ...
.


Early life

Although Pershad was born in 1864, his exact date of birth is unrecorded. He claims to have origins from a Mehra
Khatri Khatri is a caste of the Indian subcontinent that is predominantly found in India, but also in Pakistan and Afghanistan. In the subcontinent, they were mostly engaged in mercantilistic professions such as banking and trade, they were the d ...
family. He claimed to have been "born two years before his highness
Mir_Osman_Ali_Khan_">Mir_Osman_Ali_Khan.html"_;"title="Mir_Osman_Ali_Khan">Mir_Osman_Ali_Khan_._Pershad's_ancestor,_Rai_Mull_Chand,_migrated_from_Delhi_to_Hyderabad_ Hyderabad_(_;_,_)_is_the_capital_and_largest_city_of_the__Indian_state_of__Telangana_and_the_''de_jure''_capital_of__Andhra_Pradesh._It_occupies__on_the__Deccan_Plateau_along_the_banks_of_the_Musi_River,_in_the_northern_part_of_Southern_Indi_...
_with_
Mir_Osman_Ali_Khan_">Mir_Osman_Ali_Khan.html"_;"title="Mir_Osman_Ali_Khan">Mir_Osman_Ali_Khan_._Pershad's_ancestor,_Rai_Mull_Chand,_migrated_from_Delhi_to_Hyderabad_ Hyderabad_(_;_,_)_is_the_capital_and_largest_city_of_the__Indian_state_of__Telangana_and_the_''de_jure''_capital_of__Andhra_Pradesh._It_occupies__on_the__Deccan_Plateau_along_the_banks_of_the_Musi_River,_in_the_northern_part_of_Southern_Indi_...
_with_Nizam-ul-Mulk,_Asaf_Jah_I">Asaf_Jah_I_ Mir_Qamar-ud-din_Khan_Siddiqi_Bayafandi_(11_August_16711_June_1748)_also_known_as_Chin_Qilich_qamaruddin_Khan,_Nizam-ul-Mulk,_Asaf_Jah_and_Nizam_I,_was_the_1st_Nizam_of_Hyderabad._He_was_married_to_the_daughter_of_a_Syed_nobleman_of_Gulbarga._He_...
._His_grandfather_Narinder_Pershad_served_as_''dewan_ ''Dewan''_(also_known_as_''diwan'',_sometimes_spelled_''devan''_or_''divan'')_designated_a_powerful_government_official,_minister,_or_ruler._A_''dewan''_was_the_head_of_a_state_institution_of_the_same_name_(see__Divan)._Diwans_belonged_to_the_e_...
''_and_''peshkar''_(deputy_minister)_during_the_reign_of_Mahbub_Ali_Khan_ Mahbub_Ali_Khan_(_bn,_মাহবুব_আলী_খান;_3_November_1934_–_6_August_1984)_was_a_Bangladesh_Navy_rear_admiral_and_the__Chief_of_Naval_Staff_from_1979_till_his_death_in_1984._He_is_known_for_his_heroic_actions_done_for_hi_...
. In_his_youth,_Pershad_was_disinherited_by_his_grandfather_Narinder_Pershad_in_favour_of_his_younger_brother._Subsequently,_he_was_patronised_by_
Mir_Osman_Ali_Khan_">Mir_Osman_Ali_Khan.html"_;"title="Mir_Osman_Ali_Khan">Mir_Osman_Ali_Khan_._Pershad's_ancestor,_Rai_Mull_Chand,_migrated_from_Delhi_to_Hyderabad_ Hyderabad_(_;_,_)_is_the_capital_and_largest_city_of_the__Indian_state_of__Telangana_and_the_''de_jure''_capital_of__Andhra_Pradesh._It_occupies__on_the__Deccan_Plateau_along_the_banks_of_the_Musi_River,_in_the_northern_part_of_Southern_Indi_...
_with_Nizam-ul-Mulk,_Asaf_Jah_I">Asaf_Jah_I_ Mir_Qamar-ud-din_Khan_Siddiqi_Bayafandi_(11_August_16711_June_1748)_also_known_as_Chin_Qilich_qamaruddin_Khan,_Nizam-ul-Mulk,_Asaf_Jah_and_Nizam_I,_was_the_1st_Nizam_of_Hyderabad._He_was_married_to_the_daughter_of_a_Syed_nobleman_of_Gulbarga._He_...
._His_grandfather_Narinder_Pershad_served_as_''dewan_ ''Dewan''_(also_known_as_''diwan'',_sometimes_spelled_''devan''_or_''divan'')_designated_a_powerful_government_official,_minister,_or_ruler._A_''dewan''_was_the_head_of_a_state_institution_of_the_same_name_(see__Divan)._Diwans_belonged_to_the_e_...
''_and_''peshkar''_(deputy_minister)_during_the_reign_of_Mahbub_Ali_Khan_ Mahbub_Ali_Khan_(_bn,_মাহবুব_আলী_খান;_3_November_1934_–_6_August_1984)_was_a_Bangladesh_Navy_rear_admiral_and_the__Chief_of_Naval_Staff_from_1979_till_his_death_in_1984._He_is_known_for_his_heroic_actions_done_for_hi_...
. In_his_youth,_Pershad_was_disinherited_by_his_grandfather_Narinder_Pershad_in_favour_of_his_younger_brother._Subsequently,_he_was_patronised_by_Mir_Turab_Ali_Khan,_Salar_Jung_I">Salar_Jung_I_ Sir_Mir_Turab_Ali_Khan,_Salar_Jung_I,__(21_January_1829_–_8_February_1883),_known_simply_as_Salar_Jung_I,_was_an_Indian_nobleman_who_served_as_Prime_Minister_of_Hyderabad_State_between_1853_until_his_death_in_1883._He_also_served_as_regent_fo_...
_and_was_educated_along_with_his_sons_in_a_western_school._Pershad_studied_Accounting.html" "title="Mir_Turab_Ali_Khan,_Salar_Jung_I.html" "title="Nizam-ul-Mulk,_Asaf_Jah_I.html" "title="Mir_Osman_Ali_Khan_.html" ;"title="Mir_Osman_Ali_Khan.html" ;"title="Mir Osman Ali Khan">Mir Osman Ali Khan ">Mir_Osman_Ali_Khan.html" ;"title="Mir Osman Ali Khan">Mir Osman Ali Khan . Pershad's ancestor, Rai Mull Chand, migrated from Delhi to
Hyderabad Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of Southern Indi ...
with Nizam-ul-Mulk, Asaf Jah I">Asaf Jah I Mir Qamar-ud-din Khan Siddiqi Bayafandi (11 August 16711 June 1748) also known as Chin Qilich qamaruddin Khan, Nizam-ul-Mulk, Asaf Jah and Nizam I, was the 1st Nizam of Hyderabad. He was married to the daughter of a Syed nobleman of Gulbarga. He ...
. His grandfather Narinder Pershad served as ''
dewan ''Dewan'' (also known as ''diwan'', sometimes spelled ''devan'' or ''divan'') designated a powerful government official, minister, or ruler. A ''dewan'' was the head of a state institution of the same name (see Divan). Diwans belonged to the e ...
'' and ''peshkar'' (deputy minister) during the reign of
Mahbub Ali Khan Mahbub Ali Khan ( bn, মাহবুব আলী খান; 3 November 1934 – 6 August 1984) was a Bangladesh Navy rear admiral and the Chief of Naval Staff from 1979 till his death in 1984. He is known for his heroic actions done for hi ...
. In his youth, Pershad was disinherited by his grandfather Narinder Pershad in favour of his younger brother. Subsequently, he was patronised by Mir Turab Ali Khan, Salar Jung I">Salar Jung I Sir Mir Turab Ali Khan, Salar Jung I, (21 January 1829 – 8 February 1883), known simply as Salar Jung I, was an Indian nobleman who served as Prime Minister of Hyderabad State between 1853 until his death in 1883. He also served as regent fo ...
 and was educated along with his sons in a western school. Pershad studied Accounting">accountancy Accounting, also known as accountancy, is the measurement, processing, and communication of financial and non financial information about economic entities such as businesses and corporations. Accounting, which has been called the "langua ...
, medicine, religion, astrology and sufism. Besides these, he learned martial arts, Mughal etiquette and court grooming at his school. Pershad studied the Sanskrit language because of his Hindu faith and accountancy because he had the hereditary charge of the royal treasury.


Political career

In 1892, Pershad was appointed ''peshkar'' of Hyderabad, and ''dewan'' in 1902. During this ten-year period he played an insignificant role in the administration of the state. He became the military minister in the ''
nizam The Nizams were the rulers of Hyderabad from the 18th through the 20th century. Nizam of Hyderabad (Niẓām ul-Mulk, also known as Asaf Jah) was the title of the monarch of the Hyderabad State ( divided between the state of Telangana, Mar ...
''s cabinet. He also fulfilled his responsibilities as a ''peshkar'', which included him constantly attending to the ''Nizam'' to help him complete the formalities of state. In 1901, the ''Nizam'' appointed Pershad as ''dewan'' of Hyderabad and dismissed
Viqar-ul-Umra Sir Viqar ul-Umara, Iqtidar ul-Mulk, Iqbal ud-Dowla, Secundar Jung, Nawab Muhammad Fazl-ud-din Khan Bahadur (13 August 1856 – 15 February 1902), was the Prime Minister of Hyderabad from 1893 to 1901, and also served as the Amir e Paigah from 1 ...
. He was also conferred with the title "Yamin us Saltanat" (English: right hand of the realm) and his status was raised from that of a ''
raja ''Raja'' (; from , IAST ') is a royal title used for South Asian monarchs. The title is equivalent to king or princely ruler in South Asia and Southeast Asia. The title has a long history in South Asia and Southeast Asia, being attested ...
'' to a ''
maharaja Mahārāja (; also spelled Maharajah, Maharaj) is a Sanskrit title for a "great ruler", "great king" or " high king". A few ruled states informally called empires, including ruler raja Sri Gupta, founder of the ancient Indian Gupta Empire, a ...
''. In an attempt to improve the economic conditions of the state, he decreased the ''
mansabdar The Mansabdar was a military unit within the administrative system of the Mughal Empire introduced by Akbar. The word ''mansab'' is of Arabic origin meaning rank or position. The system determined the rank and status of a government official an ...
s'' (landowners) income. He also increased revenues from agriculture, railways, and customs. In 1908, a flood occurred in the state when the
Musi River Musi may refer to: * Musi River (Indonesia) * Musi River (India), Telangana * Moosy River, Andhra Pradesh, India * Musi language, a Malay language spoken in Indonesia * Angelo Musi (1918–2009), American basketball player * Agostino de' Musi, rea ...
overflowed killing people and destroying property. In response, Pershad arranged for aid and made a personal donation to the victims. He paid salaries in advance and waived debts. During Pershad's first tenure as the ''dewan'' of Hyderabad, the state's cash reserves quadrupled. Although British historians credit the finance minister Casson Walker, a
Briton British people or Britons, also known colloquially as Brits, are the citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the British Overseas Territories, and the Crown dependencies.: British nationality law governs mod ...
, for this achievement, Hyderabadi tradition gives credit to Pershad. He also maintained a friendly relationship with the
British resident A resident minister, or resident for short, is a government official required to take up permanent residence in another country. A representative of his government, he officially has diplomatic functions which are often seen as a form of indi ...
. After Nizam Mahbub Ali Khan's death in 1911, Osman Ali Khan ascended the throne. Under his reign, Pershad found it difficult to continue as the ''dewan'' and resigned in 1912. In November 1926, he was reappointed to that position and continued until March 1937. During his second tenure, friction occurred between Pershad and Walker over political appointments. While Walker was in favour of appointing Britons to administrative positions, Pershad was in favour of appointing ''Mulkies'' (local citizens). Panic spread amongst the locals because of Walker's preference. They thought that no post, of even moderate or lesser importance, would be available to them. The clash between Pershad and Walker over this matter was continuous and all government departments were affected by it. Pershad passed the ''Mulki'' regulations according to which an "outsider" could not be appointed to any position if a suitably-qualified ''Mulki'' was available for the job; their educational qualifications were to be given more weight than their family background and retirement was fixed at fifty-five years of age.


Personal life


Marriages

Maharaj Kishen Pershad died in 1940. In this photograph he is much younger than he would have been in 1935. This photograph was probably taken in early 20th century. He had several grandchildren by 1935. Pershad had seven wives. Three were Hindus and four were Muslims (which also included ''
Shia Muslim Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, most ...
''s). His Muslim wives bore him six sons; his Hindu wives bore him nine sons. The wives followed their own religion and the children were brought up in the religion of their mother. The children from Muslim wives had Islamic names; the children from Hindu wives had Hindu names. One of Pershad's favourite wives was Ghousia Begum. She belonged to an orthodox Muslim family. Although she lived under a strict ''
purdah Pardah or purdah (from Hindi-Urdu , , meaning "curtain") is a religious and social practice of female seclusion prevalent among some Muslim and Hindu communities. It takes two forms: physical segregation of the sexes and the requirement that wom ...
'', they managed to court each other using disguises. According to Islamic law, marriage between a Muslim and a Hindu is not allowed. To marry her, he was ready to convert to Islam. However, Nizam
Mahboob Ali Khan 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 Mahboo ...
was not in favour of him converting as he did not want a Muslim ''peshkar''.


Interests and beliefs

Pershad wrote Persian and Urdu poems under the pen name "Shad" (''English'': happy). His poetry was influenced by Sufism. He was also a proponent of ''
Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb ''Ganga–Jamuni Tehzeeb'' ( Hindustani for '' Ganges–Yamuna Culture''), also spelled as ''Ganga-Jamni Tehzeeb'' or just Hindustani Tehzeeb, is the high culture that arose in the Yamuna-Gangetic plains of northern India, the Hindustan regio ...
'' ( communal harmony between Hindus and Muslims). He wrote Pershad was a patron of poetry, paintings and music. No matter the quality of their work, he encouraged painters, writers and musicians. In the early morning, artists from different parts of India as well as from
Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
and
Arab countries The Arab world ( ar, اَلْعَالَمُ الْعَرَبِيُّ '), formally the Arab homeland ( '), also known as the Arab nation ( '), the Arabsphere, or the Arab states, refers to a vast group of countries, mainly located in Western As ...
visited him. He also published an Urdu poetry magazine titled ''Mahbub Al Kalam''. In it the first ''
ghazal The ''ghazal'' ( ar, غَزَل, bn, গজল, Hindi-Urdu: /, fa, غزل, az, qəzəl, tr, gazel, tm, gazal, uz, gʻazal, gu, ગઝલ) is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry. A ghazal may be understood as a ...
'' was written by Nizam
Mahbub Ali Khan Mahbub Ali Khan ( bn, মাহবুব আলী খান; 3 November 1934 – 6 August 1984) was a Bangladesh Navy rear admiral and the Chief of Naval Staff from 1979 till his death in 1984. He is known for his heroic actions done for hi ...
, the rest were written by Pershad. The ''ghazal''s were written in the form a dialogue between two lovers. Pershad's hobbies included painting, playing
sitar The sitar ( or ; ) is a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical music. The instrument was invented in medieval India, flourished in the 18th century, and arrived at its present form ...
, photography and sculpting. He was a childhood friend of the Nizam and throughout his life, he was a staunch Nizam loyalist. ''
The Times of India ''The Times of India'', also known by its abbreviation ''TOI'', is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by The Times Group. It is the third-largest newspaper in India by circulation and largest s ...
'' wrote the following about him:
His charismatic personality and legendary largesse endeared him with the masses. His eminence as the supreme personification of all that was good in erstwhile Hyderabad has ensured that 'Maharaja' implies none other than Kishen Pershad.


Image and character

Despite the fact that Hyderabadi society was feudal in nature and Pershad belonged to an upper caste, during his reign as a minister, his associates consisted of people of every caste and class. According to his family members, he would sit with a beggar on his sofa in his
drawing room A drawing room is a room in a house where visitors may be entertained, and an alternative name for a living room. The name is derived from the 16th-century terms withdrawing room and withdrawing chamber, which remained in use through the 17th cen ...
and would serve him tea. When he was criticised for his acts, he replied, "Do not despise anyone. You never know, it may be God himself who visits you in the guise of a beggar". Due to his contacts, Pershad was able to understand the sentiments of all sections of society. Even after becoming the prime minister of Hyderabad, he continued his participation in public functions like the inauguration of schools and clinics, and continued to appear as a chief guest in the circus. During the marriage season, he also attended marriages of the common public including the poor when he was invited.


Knighthood

Pershad was conferred with the KCIE in January 1903 and the
GCIE The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria on 1 January 1878. The Order includes members of three classes: #Knight Grand Commander ( GCIE) #Knight Commander ( KCIE) #Companion ( CIE) No ap ...
in 1910.


Death

Pershad died at Hyderabad on 13 May 1940. Upon his death, Nizam
Osman Ali Khan Mir Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII (5 or 6 April 1886 — 24 February 1967), was the last Nizam (ruler) of the Princely State of Hyderabad, the largest princely state in British India. He ascended the throne on 29 August 1911, at the age o ...
said "society has witnessed the departure of the last vestige of the
Mughal empire The Mughal Empire was an early-modern empire that controlled much of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the d ...
".


References


Notes

* *


External links


Nazr-e-Sultan – Poetry written by Kishen Pershad in honour of Nizam Osman Ali Khan
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pershad, Kishen Indian Hindus Urdu-language poets from India Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire Indian knights 1864 births 1940 deaths Hyderabad State politicians Indian maharajas Prime Ministers of Hyderabad State People from Hyderabad State