Meet India’s first billionaire, Osman Ali, much richer than Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani, Narayana Murthy, he was from…, had net worth of Rs…
When we talk about India’s richest person, the names that often pop up in mind are Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani, Narayana Murthy, and more. However, do you know that their wealth is nothing compared to the man who was the first billionaire of India? Yes, you read that right. Today, we will tell you about India’s first richest billionaire who once ruled a princely state in India.
If you are wondering who this man was, let us tell you—he was the last Nizam of Hyderabad, whose impressive riches made headlines across the globe. Apart from wealth, this man also had an impressive collection of gems, including the iconic Koh-i-Noor, a fleet of Rolls-Royce cars, royal ties with Queen Elizabeth, and more. The man in discussion is none other than the seventh and last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan.
Who was Mir Osman Ali Khan?
Born on April 6, 1886, Mir Osman Ali Khan was the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad and ruled from 1911 until 1948. His reign marked a golden era for Hyderabad, as during this time, the state witnessed massive growth in terms of infrastructure, education, and culture.
In the 1940s, Mir Osman Ali Khan’s net worth was approximately 236 billion US Dollars (Rs 17.47 lakh crore), if adjusted for inflation.
Mir Osman Ali Khan’s Sources of Income
Mir Osman Ali Khan’s massive source of income came from his Golconda diamond mines, one of the world’s richest sources of diamonds. His fortune was so immense that it made up 2% of the United States’ GDP at the time.
Mir Osman Ali Khan also featured on the cover of TIME magazine in 1937 with the title “The Richest Man in the World.”
Not just that, Mir Osman Ali Khan was also the owner of some of the most famous gems that ever existed in the world. His Golconda diamond mines were the ones that introduced the world to the Koh-i-Noor, the Darya-i-Nur, and the massive Jacob Diamond. The Jacob Diamond had a net worth of 120 million US Dollars, equivalent to Rs 1,000 crore.
One will not believe that Mir Osman Ali Khan owned as many as 50 Rolls-Royce cars, including the prestigious Silver Ghost Throne Car. This is not it—Mir Osman Ali also introduced Deccan Airways, which was one of the earliest private airlines in British India.
The wealth of the Nizam made headlines when the Indian government purchased the Nizam’s collection of 173 jewels in 1995 for Rs 218 crore. Among these pieces, it consisted of 2,000 carats of emeralds, 40,000 chows of pearls, bangles, necklaces, cufflinks, and even pendants.
Mir Osman Ali Khan was an important figure in history. He made major contributions to the welfare of the people.
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