[9] He was styled as His Exalted Highness (H.E.H) the Nizam of Hyderabad,[10] and was widely considered one of the world's wealthiest people of all time.

[22] Later, he wanted his state to join India; however, his power had weakened because of the Telangana Rebellion and the rise of a radical militia known as the Razakars, whom he could not put down.

He lived on his own to avoid the atmosphere of the palace quarters under the guidance of Sir Brian and other British officials and mentors so that he could flourish as a gentleman of the highest class.

Sir Brian Egerton recorded that as a child, Mir Osman Ali Khan was magnanimous and "anxious to learn".

Because of the indomitable attitude of zenana (the women) who were determined to send Mir Osman Ali Khan out of Hyderabad for further studies, he pursued them at Mayo College after consultation with the principal nobles of the Paigah family.

[3][32][35] The famous mines of Golconda were the major source of wealth for the Nizams,[36] with the Kingdom of Hyderabad being the only supplier of diamonds for the global market in the 18th century.

[37] In 1908, three years before the Nizam's coronation, the city of Hyderabad was struck by a major flood that resulted in the death of thousands.

The Nizam, on the advice of Sir M. Visvesvaraya, ordered the construction of two large reservoirs—the Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar—to prevent another flood.

[42] The establishment of Osmania University was highly lauded by Nobel Prize laureate Rabindranath Tagore who was overjoyed to see the day when Indians are "freed from the shackles of a foreign language and our education becomes naturally accessible to all our people".

[39] In 1919, the Nizam ordered the formation of the Executive Council of Hyderabad, presided over by Sir Sayyid Ali Imam, including eight other members, each in charge of one or more departments.

It was believed that the matrimonial alliance between Nizam and Abdulmejid II would lead to the emergence of a Muslim ruler who could be acceptable to the world powers in place of the Ottoman Sultans.

After India's Independence, the Nizam attempted to declare his sovereignty over the state of Hyderabad, either as a protectorate of the British Empire or as a sovereign monarchy.

[58] The Nizam founded agricultural research in the Marathwada region of Hyderabad State with the establishment of the Main Experimental Farm in 1918 in Parbhani.

During his rule, agricultural education was available only at Hyderabad; crop research centres for sorghum, cotton, and fruits existed in Parbhani.

[60] During Mir Osman Ali Khan’s regime, financial support of Rs 97,000 and more than Two-lakh-acres of land were donated for the Hindu temples.

Hindu temple histories in Hyderabad, both oral and written, feature close interaction with the Nizam’s court and administration.

[66][67] After hearing about the Golden Temple of Amritsar through Maharaja Ranjit Singh,[68][69] he started providing it with yearly grants.

[74][75] In October 1962, during the Sino-Indian War, the PM Lal Bahadur Shastri visited Hyderabad and requested the Nizam to contribute to the National Defence Fund, set up in the wake of the Indo-Chinese skirmishes.

[87][88][89] The Nizam's Director of Archaeology obtained the services of two experts from Italy, Professor Lorenzo Cecconi, assisted by Count Orsini, to restore the paintings in the caves.

Additionally, he contributed greatly to the creation of waqfs (Muslim endowments) in Palestine and supported the renovation and restoration of a hospice named Zawiyah Hindiyya.

[96] The Nizam refused to join either India or Pakistan, preferring to form a separate independent kingdom within the British Commonwealth of Nations.

[citation needed] The one-year standstill agreement turned out to be a severe blow to Nizam as it gave all foreign affairs, communication and defence power to the Indian government.

Under the supervision of Major General Jayanto Nath Chaudhuri, one division of the Indian Army and a tank brigade invaded and captured Hyderabad.

Himayat Ali Mirza has requested the central government to bring these coins, which were made in the Arabic script, back to Hyderabad.

[113] In 1947, Nizam made a gift of diamond jewels, including a tiara and necklace, to the future Queen Elizabeth  II on the occasion of her marriage.

[114] The Nizam lived at King Kothi Palace — bought from a nobleman (Kamal Khan, an architect of those times) — from age 13 until his death.

[148] Another socially prominent grandson is Mir Najaf Ali Khan, son of Hasham Jah,[149][150][151] who represents several trusts of the last Nizam, including the H.E.H.

"[164] "The Nizam's funeral procession was the biggest non-religious, non-political meeting of people in the history of India till that date.

[166] D. Bhaskara Rao, chief curator, of the Nizam's Museum stated that an estimated one million people were part of the procession.

[168][better source needed] The titles during his life were: 1886–1911: Nawab Bahadur Mir Osman Ali Khan Siddiqi.