Mirza Ismail

2021-10-04T12:39:57Z

2409:4071:220F:CB4E:0:0:5F7:48A0:

{{Use Indian English|date=April 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Mirza Muhammad Ismail
| honorific-prefix = Sir
| honorific-suffix =[[Order of the Indian Empire|KCIE]] [[Order of the British Empire|OBE]] [[Order of the Indian Empire|CIE]] [[Order of Saint John (chartered 1888)|CStJ]]
| image= Diwan Sir Mirza Ismail.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = The Prime Minister of Mysore, Jaipur, and Hyderabad

| order1 = [[Prime Minister of Hyderabad|Diwan of Hyderabad]]
| term_start1 = 1946
| term_end1 = 1947
| monarch1 = [[Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII]]
| predecessor1 = [[Muhammad Ahmad Said Khan Chhatari]]
| successor1 = [[Muhammad Ahmad Said Khan Chhatari]]

| order2 = Diwan of Jaipur
| term_start2 = 1942
| term_end2 = 1946
| monarch2 = [[Man Singh II]]
| predecessor2 =
| successor2 =

| order3 = 22nd [[List of Diwans of Mysore|Diwan of the Mysore Kingdom]]
| term_start3 = 1 May 1926
| term_end3 = 1941
| monarch3 = [[Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV]], [[Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar]]
| predecessor3 = Sir [[Albion Rajkumar Banerjee]]
| successor3 = Sir [[N. Madhava Rao]]

| birth_date = {{birth date|1883|10|24|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Bangalore]], [[Kingdom of Mysore]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1959|1|5|1883|10|24|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Bangalore]], [[Karnataka]], India
| occupation = [[List of Diwans of Mysore|Diwan of Mysore]] (1926–1941) [[Prime Minister]], [[Jaipur]] (Diwan of Jaipur) (1942–1946) [[Diwan of Hyderabad]] (1946–1947)
| salary =
| networth =
| spouse = Zeebundeh Begum Shirazi
| website =
| footnotes =
| children = Mirza Humayun Mirza Shah Taj Begum Mirza Gauhar Taj Begum
}}
'''Sir Mirza Muhammad Ismail''' - '''Amin-ul-Mulq''', [[Order of the Indian Empire|KCIE]], [[Order of the British Empire|OBE]] ( {{lang-kn|ಸರ್ ಮಿರ್ಜಾ ಇಸ್ಮಾಯಿಲ್}}); (24 October 1883 – 5 January 1959) was an Indian statesman who was the [[Diwan (India)|Diwan]] (Prime Minister) of the [[Kingdom of Mysore|Kingdoms of Mysore]], [[Jaipur State|Jaipur]] and [[Hyderabad State|Hyderabad]].<ref name="london-gazette.co.uk">{{Cite web|title=Page 29 {{!}} Issue 34470, 4 January 1938 {{!}} London Gazette {{!}} The Gazette|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34470/page/29|access-date=2021-06-14|website=www.thegazette.co.uk}}</ref>
<ref name="auto">P. 254-258, ''Business Legends'' by [[Gita Piramal]] (1998) – Published by Viking Penguin India</ref>

[[Sir Chetpat Pattabhirama Ramaswami Iyer]], Diwan, [[Travancore]] considered him "one of the cleverest men in India". Long-time friend [[Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman]] said that "Sir Mirza's accessibility and personal charm coupled with his depth of knowledge and his keen sense of human and cultural values made him a great and highly successful administrator".<ref name="london-gazette.co.uk"/>
<ref name="auto"/>

== Early years ==
Mirza Ismail was born on 24 October 1883 in Bangalore into a Persian family, who emigrated from Persia and took refuge under the wings of the Maharaja of Mysore. He was the grandson of Ali Asker. [[Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV]] and he were classmates in college. After his graduation from Bangalore in 1904 he started off as an Asst Superintendent of Police with the government.<ref name="dharwad.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.dharwad.com/nimmaputa/hyblib10.html|title=Hyderabad Liberation - 10|last=Koppal|first=Basavaraj|website=Dharwad.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729072726/http://www.dharwad.com/nimmaputa/hyblib10.html|archive-date=2013-07-29|url-status=dead|access-date=2018-01-01}}</ref><ref name="expressindia.com">{{cite web |url=http://iecolumnists.expressindia.com/full_column.php?content_id=86097 |title=Archived copy |access-date=2006-11-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061116042444/http://iecolumnists.expressindia.com/full_column.php?content_id=86097 |archive-date=16 November 2006 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

== Diwan of Mysore ==
Mirza Ismail became the private secretary to the Maharajah, who had great faith in his administrative acumen and abilities to implement them. It was at this time the King urged [[Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya]] to guide him. It is well documented that [[Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya]] became Mirza Ismail's mentor. In 1926 on the recommendation of Vishvesvaraya the King supplemented Mirza Ismail by elevating him to the coveted position of the [[List of Diwans of Mysore|Diwan of Mysore]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mysoredasara.com/html/personalities.htm |title=Welcome to Mysore Dasara |website=www.mysoredasara.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070826131814/http://www.mysoredasara.com/html/personalities.htm |archive-date=26 August 2007 }}</ref>

The [[Bangalore Town Hall]] was built by the King of Mysore, and designed by Mirza Ismail. The first rural electrification programme in India were also implemented by him.<ref name="dharwad.com"/>
<ref name="expressindia.com"/>

The Nobel laureate Sir [[C. V. Raman]] paid eloquent tributes to Sir Mirza in the following words:" For many years, in fair weather as well as in foul, Sir Mirza Ismail remained the truest of friends to me, ever ready to give support and advice. He leaves behind him a memory which will be treasured and cherished by all who have known him."<ref name="london-gazette.co.uk"/>
<ref name="auto"/> He was a superlative administrator and set an inspiring example to the officials by undertaking extensive tours and personally looking to the grievances of the people. Over his fourteen years of service, Mysore State made substantial progress in the field of industries, both in the private and public sectors. The sugar factory at Shimoga and the Khadi Production Centre at Badanval were the other industries that were set up during his time. A trade commissioner was also appointed in London.<ref name="dharwad.com"/>
<ref name="expressindia.com"/>

Industries started during his period as diwan include Porcelain Factory and the Glass Factory all in [[Bangalore]] were established paper, cement, steel, fertilizers, sugar and electric bulbs. Vysya Bank, cement factory, the Chemical and Fertilizers factory and Sugar mills.

In general, he did not exhibit major religious biases, though it is not clear why he was instrumental in setting up a mosque in Bangalore. In 1940, at the height of religious strife in India, he laid the foundation stone of the [[Jamia Masjid]] mosque, near [[K. R. Market|City Market]] in Bangalore, very close to the town hall also built by him.

A major part of his administration was spent in suppressing various kinds of public disturbances. He had to do a great deal of tight-rope walking in the face of popular agitations conducted by the Congress Party.<ref name="london-gazette.co.uk"/>
<ref name="auto"/> He had to maintain good relations with the top [[Indian National Congress]] leaders like Gandhi and Nehru on one hand and in alliance with Maharaja [[Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV]], he did everything possible to suppress Congress movement in the State for fear of communal violence and unrest on the Garden City of India. It was this very fear which came to the fore over Sultanpet Ganapathi Disturbances in Bangalore in 1928 this upheaval created the long desired opportunity the Congress desired and they finally gained ground in the illusive state of Mysore also.<ref name="dharwad.com"/>
<ref name="expressindia.com"/>

Following the King [[Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV]] death in 1940, he continued as the Diwan with king [[Jayachamaraja Wodeyar]]. However, he resigned in 1941 over differences.<ref name="london-gazette.co.uk"/><ref name="auto"/>

== Prime Minister of Jaipur ==
In 1941, he joined the Kingdom of [[Jaipur]] in [[Rajasthan]] as the [[Prime Minister]]. The chamber of commerce in Jaipur duly recorded the regime of Sir Mirza Ismail was "the beginning of the Industrial era of Jaipur."

Soon after his arrival in Jaipur, in 1942, he constituted a committee on Constitutional Reforms, these efforts considerably enhanced HH Maharaja [[Sawai Man Singh II]]’s reputation and his Durbar in the Congress circles. The main thoroughfare of Jaipur has been named [[Mirza Ismail Road]] in his memory.<ref name="london-gazette.co.uk"/>
<ref name="auto"/>

[[Ghanshyam Das Birla]] was a close friend of Sir Mirza Ismail who used to fund the grand projects Mirza Ismail envisaged for Jaipur. When banks were permitted to open branches in Jaipur, United Commercial Bank, under chairmanship of GD Birla, was the first to be permitted to open a branch there in 1945. The National Ball- bearing company was established under guidance from Sir Mirza.<ref name="london-gazette.co.uk"/><ref name="auto"/>

In 1945, he chaired the Indian Writers Council for the International PEN in [[Jaipur]] where [[Sarojini Naidu]] and [[Edward Morgan Forster]] were some of the attendants. Even after resigning as Prime Minister Sir Mirza Ismail remained advisor to the State and its affair pertaining to development. 1949 he was instrumental with the sanctioning of the building for the Jaipur Medical Association.<ref name="dharwad.com"/><ref name="expressindia.com"/>

== Diwan of Hyderabad ==
In 1945 [[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]] had a fall out with Mirza Ismail when he refused to help build a Great Pakistan, this decision was made because Mirza Ismail objected to the Partition of India in entirety and there was nothing beyond India for him. So it came as no surprise when Jinnah heard that Mirza Ismail was considering moving to Hyderabad, he opposed the decision openly.

In 1946, he finally accepted and became [[Diwan of Hyderabad]], also called Sadar-i-Azam (Prime Minister), during the difficult years of 1946–48 of the Princely State of Hyderabad, while Lt.General [[Mir Osman Ali Khan]] (r.1911–48). [[Hyderabad State|Hyderabad]] was ruler. Sir Mirza Ismail put forth his best skills on the issue of accession of Hyderabad and negotiated a "Standstill" agreement with the Indian Government for a one-year period to resolve the issue of accession of Hyderabad province to the Indian government amicably.<ref name="london-gazette.co.uk"/><ref name="auto"/> Pro-India leaders like Nawab Mehadi Nawaz Jung, Barrister [[Akbar Ali Khan (politician)|Akbar Ali Khan]], famous editor Sohaibulla Khan, Nawab [[Ali Yavar Jung]] and others supported the peace moves of Sir Mirza Ismail and tried to change the attitude of the Nizam from confrontation to coordination. With the assassination of Mohandas K. Gandhi, the Nizam became more set against acceding to India and took on a militant stand. As a result, Sir Mirza Ismail resigned from his post in disgust, which led to a very public and unpleasant interview by the Nizam. Soon after in 1948 as a result of insubordination the police launched ''Operation Polo'' and [[Hyderabad State|Hyderabad]] became part of the Indian Union in 1948.<ref name="dharwad.com"/><ref name="expressindia.com"/>

== Round Table Conference (November 1930 – January 1931) ==
Mirza had attended all 3 round table conferences. *''1st Round Table conference:''<ref>{{cite book |last1=Dwivedi |first1=Rakesh |title=Gs In 60 Days |publisher=Tata McGraw-Hill Education |isbn=978-0-07-067078-5 |page=115 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tjmC1nnWVC8C&q=1st+round+table+conference+sir+mirza+ismail&pg=SA1-PA115 |access-date=14 June 2021 |language=en}}</ref> *''2nd Round Table conference''<ref>{{cite web |title=Second Round Table Conference 1931 - GKToday |url=https://www.gktoday.in/gk/second-round-table-conference-1931/ |website=gktoday (.) in |access-date=14 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Highlights from second & third Round table Conference:- SSC 2019 |url=http://www.ownguru.com/blog/highlights-from-second-third-round-table-ssc-2019/ |website=OwnTV |access-date=14 June 2021 |date=2019-08-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Pratt |first1=Frederick G. |title=The Indian Round Table Conference: Second Session |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/2749987 |journal=Pacific Affairs |access-date=14 June 2021 |pages=151–167 |doi=10.2307/2749987 |date=1932|volume=5 |issue=2 |jstor=2749987 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Ismail (amin-ul-mulk) |first1=Sir Mirza Mahomed |title=Speeches |date=1936 |publisher=Printed at the Government Press |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tbm1AAAAIAAJ&q=2nd+round+table+conference+sir+mirza+ismail |access-date=14 June 2021 |language=en}}</ref> *''3rd Round Table Conference:'' <ref>{{cite book |title=The who's who in Madras A pictorial who's who of distinguished personages, princes, zemindars and noblemen in the Madras Presidency. |date=1932 |publisher=Pearl Press. |pages=67 |oclc=564838708 |url=http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/564838708 |access-date=14 June 2021 |language=English}}</ref>

==Honours==
[[File:KCIE_Brits_Indië_Tweede_Graad.gif|120px|thumb|right|The Knight Commander of the Indian Empire order]]
He was appointed an OBE in 1922 by the British Government for his services to India, and was appointed a CIE in 1924. He was knighted in 1930 and was further appointed a KCIE in 1936. In 1938, he was appointed an Associate Commander of the Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem.<ref name="london-gazette.co.uk"/>

==Books==
Sir Mirza Ismail penned his memoirs under the title ''My Public Life'' published in 1954 before his death on 5 January 1959 at his house Windsor lodge in Bangalore.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ismail |first1=Sir Mirza M. |title=My Public Life: Recollections and Reflections |date=1954 |publisher=G. Allen & Unwin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sKg9AAAAMAAJ |access-date=14 June 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

=== Essays, lectures and interactions ===
*Mahatma Gandhi -Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (Page 143 onwards) : "An Indian Statesman's Tribute" by Sir Mirza M. Ismail, KCIE (Dewan of Mysore; Bangalore, India)<ref>{{cite book |last1=Radhakrishnan |first1=S. |title=Mahatma Gandhi: Essays and Reflections on his Life and Work |date=2019-04-02 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-429-60242-9 |pages=143 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QKqbDwAAQBAJ |access-date=14 June 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
*Indian Round Table Conference Proceedings <ref>{{cite book |last1=Government |first1=Indian |title=Indian Round Table Conference Proceedings |date=2018-10-15 |publisher=Creative Media Partners, LLC |isbn=978-0-343-20024-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jc7RvQEACAAJ |access-date=14 June 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
*The new India, 1948–1955: memoirs of an Indian civil servant By Asok Mitra <ref>{{cite book |last1=Mitra |first1=Asok |title=The New India, 1948-1955: Memoirs of an Indian Civil Servant |date=1991 |publisher=Popular Prakashan |isbn=978-81-7154-691-6 |pages=99, 107, 109 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hc0MUqbodgIC&q=ismail |access-date=14 June 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
*Encyclopaedia of Higher Education: Convocation address By Suresh Kant Sharma (Pg 111-114) -Education and Unity for Economic Upliftment<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sharma |first1=Suresh Kant |title=Encyclopaedia of Higher Education: Convocation address |date=2005 |publisher=Mittal Publications |isbn=978-81-8324-016-1 |pages=111–114 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JeQ-keiG0GoC&q=ismail |access-date=14 June 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
*Sir Mirza M. Ismail: views and opinions on his retirement from the office of Dewan of Mysore. <ref>{{cite book |title=Sir Mirza M. Ismail: Views and Opinions on His Retirement from the Office of Dewan of Mysore |date=1942 |publisher=Printed at the Bangalore Press |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TzKzZlPGRWsC |access-date=14 June 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
*Studies on Dewan Sir Mirza Ismail: collection of seminar papers-Sūryanātha Kāmat<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kāmat |first1=Sūryanātha |title=Studies on Dewan Sir Mirza Ismail: Collection of Seminar Papers |date=1998 |publisher=Mythic Society |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qkxuAAAAMAAJ |access-date=14 June 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
*Anecdotes of Quaid-i-Azam by Masud-ul-Hasan 1976 <ref>{{cite book |last1=Hasan |first1=Masudul |title=Anecdotes of Quaid-i-Azam |date=1976 |publisher=Ferozsons |pages=39 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gsQJAQAAIAAJ&q=ismail |access-date=14 June 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
*[[International PEN]] Indian Writers in Council By K. R. Srinivasa Iyengar-Inaugural Address by Prime Minister, Sir Mirza Ismail<ref>{{cite book |last1=Iyengar |first1=K. R. Srinivasa |title=Indian Writers in Council: Proceedings of the First All-India Writers' Conference (Jaipur, 1945) |date=1947 |publisher=International Book House for the P.E.N. All-India Centre |pages=3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5pJHAAAAMAAJ |access-date=14 June 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

==Personal life==
[[File:Sir Mirza Ismail.JPG|thumb|Mirza Ismail, with eldest children of Mirza Mahmud]]
Sir Mirza's grandfather Ali Askar was a Persian trader (mainly of horses) who emigrated from Iran and took refuge under the wings of the Maharaja of Mysore. He and his brother, Aga Abbas Ali, prospered wildly under the patronage of the Maharaja. They trained the royal cavalry and supplied horses to the royal and army stables. Over time, Ali Askar evolved into a prominent builder and landowner in Bangalore and adjoining areas. He created the Ali Asker Waqf Estate which owns the land upon which the Windsor Manor hotel in Bangalore is built. Two roads in Bangalore have been named in honour of the two brothers, namely Ali Askar Road and Aga Abbas Ali Road.

Mirza Ismail married Zeebundeh Begum Shirazi in a match arranged by their parents in the usual Indian way. They had three children, a son who they named Humayun Mirza, and two daughters, Shah Taj Begum and Gauhar Taj Begum.

One of Mirza Ismail's cousins was Khaleel Shirazie, an affluent businessman whose business empire extended from Madras to Singapore and China. Two of Mirza Ismail's children (Humayun Mirza and Shah Taj Begum) were married to two of Khaleel Shirazie's children. Mirza Ismail's younger daughter, Gauhar Taj Begum, was given in marriage to Mirza Namazie's son, Mirza Ghulam Hussain Namazie, who was Director of M.A. Namazie Ltd. in Singapore, which is where he lived. [[M. M. Ispahani]] the founder of The House of Ispahani and [[M. M. Ispahani Limited]] one of [[Bangladesh]] most illustrious businessmen was another of Mirza Ismail's cousin.

Sir Mirza's grandson, Akbar Mirza Khaleeli (son of Shah Taj Begum) joined the [[Indian Foreign Service]] in 1959 and retired in 1994. At various times, he served as ambassador in Iran, Italy and Australia. Even after his retirement, he served as Advisor to the Indian government on Middle Eastern Affairs for many years. He was married to his cousin [[Shakereh Khaleeli|Shakereh]] née Namazie (daughter of Gauhar Taj begum), herself a granddaughter Mirza Ismail. The couple became the parents of four daughters but grew estranged. In 1991, [[Shakereh Khaleeli]] was murdered (sedated and buried alive) by a confident who wanted to usurp her property, a large house with a vast garden at a very posh location in downtown Bangalore. A final verdict of life imprisonment was awarded to her murderer in 2008. They have four daughters: Zeebundeh Khaleeli, Sabah Backhache, [[Rehane Yavar Dhala]] and Esmath Khaleeli.

[[Agha Shahi]] and [[Agha Hilaly]] also inspired by Mirza Ismail, they chose to migrate to Pakistan during partition and became Foreign Secretaries of the Nation.

==Further reading==
* ''Amin-ul-Mulq Sir Mirza Ismail Saheb'' by [[D. V. Gundappa]] (in Volume 4 of ಜ್ಞಾಪಕಚಿತ್ರಶಾಲೆ - ಮೈಸೂರಿನ ದಿವಾನರು)
*''The Regime of Sir Mirza Ismail'' (1998) by [[S. R. Ramaswamy]]
* ''Picturesque Mysore'' (1939) by [[Sir Mirza Ismail]]

{{S-start}}
{{s-gov}}
{{Succession box |
before= – |
title=[[Diwan (title)|Dewan]] of [[Kingdom of Mysore|Mysore]] |
years=1926–1941|
after= [[N. Madhava Rao]]
}}
{{Succession box |
before=[[Muhammad Ahmad Said Khan Chhatari|Nawab Chhatari]]|
title=[[Prime Minister of Hyderabad]] |
years=1946–1948|
after=[[Muhammad Ahmad Said Khan Chhatari|Nawab Chhatari]]
}}
{{S-end}}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{Authority control}}
{{Meher Baba|state=collapsed}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ismail, Mirza}}
[[Category:1883 births]]
[[Category:1959 deaths]]
[[Category:Administrators in the princely states of India]]
[[Category:People from Hyderabad State]]
[[Category:Indian dewans]]
[[Category:Indian Muslims]]
[[Category:Knights Bachelor]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire]]
[[Category:Indian knights]]
[[Category:Diwans of Mysore]]
[[Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:History of Jaipur]]
[[Category:Politicians from Bangalore]]
[[Category:Prime Ministers of Hyderabad State]]

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Mirza Ismail