That is because the Nizam called himself Turki.
In fact, after the abolition of the privy purse, Mukarram Jah, the last Nizam of Hyderabad retired to Turkey.
But in this context, I must recount one important part of History Hindus need to know and acknowledge.
Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan might not have wanted to merge with India, but when he was forced to do so, he acted honourable. In 1965, during the war with china, Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1965 visited Hyderabad and requested the Nizam to contribute generously to the National Defence Fund, set up in the wake of the Indo-Chinese skirmish. Without a second thought, Mir Osman Ali announced that he would contribute five tonnes of gold to augment the war fund. In monetary terms, the Nizam’s contribution was about Rs 75 lakh, or about three-fourth of the annual Privy Purse he received from the Centre. In terms of today’s gold price in the international market, this donation translates to a whopping Rs 1,500 crore.
The Nizam’s donation of 5,000 kg of gold to the National Defence Fund in 1965 was the biggest ever contribution by any individual or organisation in India and remains unsurpassed till today.
However, known for his wit and frugality, Mir Osman Ali Khan did not hesitate to seek the return of the empty iron boxes once the gold coins and bars were offloaded in Delhi. “I am donating the gold and not the iron boxes. Do not forget to return them,” the Nizam told the officials even as his son-in-law and confidant Ali Pasha carried trays of gold coins from the Nazri Bagh Palace. The empty boxes were duly returned.
Now that too is something we need to learn and remember. It take all sorts to build a Nation.