IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE MOST BENEFICENT, THE MOST MERCIFUL
Princes of Arcot
Prince Azim Jah was the brother of Nawab Azam Jah and held office as Regent during the minority of Nawab Ghulam Muhammad Ghouse Khan from 1825 to 1842. After several negotiations with Queen Victoria, Azim Jah was made a political pensioner and the new title of "HIS HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF ARCOT" or "AMIR-E-ARCOT" in India was created in 1867 with several honours and privileges attached to the title in perpetuity. Close members of the family of Prince Azim Jah were also given perpetual political stipends known as the Carnatic Stipends. (Since 1911, in pursuance of Government Orders, the Collector of Chennai has been functioning as the Paymaster, Carnatic Stipends, to disburse the stipends of the family members of the Prince of Arcot to this day).
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Azim Jah's litigious efforts and representations succeeded. For at 5.30 p.m. on the 12th April 1871, His Excellency the Governor of Madras, held a Durbar in the Banqueting Hall, Madras, for the purpose of presenting to His Highness Prince Azim Jah Bahadur, the Letters Patent issued by the command of Queen Victoria, investing His Highness and his successors with the title and dignity of "Prince of Arcot" or "Amire-Arcot" in India.
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The Prince of Arcot was also recognised as "The First Noble Man in the Mohammedan Family of South India". He was also accorded a very high rank in the Warrant of Precedence.
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Since the 'Kalas Mahal' (Chepauk Palace) had been taken over by the Government in 1859, Prince Azim Jah moved to the 'Shadi Mahal' on Triplicane High Road and the Government was paying a monthly rent of RS.1 ,000/- for his accommodation.
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As part of the settlement with Azim Jah, the Government undertook to build a Palace, now known as "AMIR MAHAL' in Royapettah on lands belonging to the Nawabs.
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Prince Azim Jah, the first Prince of Arcot, owing to personal reasons did not move to "Amir Mahal", but continued to live in "Shadi Mahal', where he died in 1874 and was buried with full state honours.
Prince Sir Zahir-ud-Daula Bahadur, G.C.S.I. son of Prince Azim Jah Bahadur succeeded him in 1874. He shifted his residence to 'Amir Mahal', in 1876. Though the Government stopped the payment of rent for the Prince's residence, it began to allot funds in the budget for. the upkeep, maintenance and annual repairs of 'Amir Mahal'.
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From 1876, Amir Mahal has been the official residence of the successive Princes of Arcot.
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As per the representations made by the Prince, the Government agreed to maintain the building, carry on the repairs, replenish all the fittings, furniture etc., and pay all levies and taxes in respect of the property. The Government had also granted to Amir Mahal all privileges and formalities attached to Shadi Mahal.
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The Prince of Arcot was invited to the Durbar held at Delhi in January 1877, on the occasion of the assumption of the title of Empress of India by Her Majesty Queen Victoria. He was knighted with the first class merit of the Order G.C.S.I., and enjoyed the honour of fifteen gun salute. He died in 1879 and was buried with full state honours.
Intizam-Ul-Mulk Bahadur
Third Prince of Arcot
( 1879 - 1889 )
Intizam-u-Mulk Bahadur was the brother of Sir Zahir-ud-Daula Bahadur. He became the third Prince of Arcot in accordance with the desire of his late father, Prince Azim Jah Bahadur in 1879.
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He was the last to be exempted from personal attendance in Civil Courts and enjoyed the title of "His Highness" and a 15 gun salute. He died in 1889 and was buried with full state honours.
Sir Muhammad Munawar Khan Bahadur was the nephew of Intizam-ul-Mulk. He was the fourth Prince of Arcot and assumed office in 1889.
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Sir Muhammad Munawar Khan Bahadur was given the Award K.C.I.E., in the year 1879 when his uncle was the Prince of Arcot. He also was exempted from personal attendance at the Civil Court. He died in the year 1903 at Delhi, where he had gone to attend the Coronation Durbar of King Edward VII. He was buried with full state honours.
Ghulam Muhamed Ali Khan, the fifth Prince of Arcot succeeded his father in 1903.
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He was born on 26th February 1882 and educated at the Newington Court of Wards Institution, Madras. English teachers like C. Morrison and C.H. Payne were his tutors. He received the title of Khan Bahadur in June 22, 1897 and was created a K.C.I.E., (Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire) on January 1, 1909, and later a G.C.I.E., in 1917.
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He was appointed Member of the Madras Legislative Council during 1904-06 and again in 1916 by nomination. Sir Ghulam Muhammad Ali Khan Bahadur was elected a Member of the Imperial Legislative Council by the Musalman electorate of the Presidency of Madras for the period 1910-13. He presided over the sessions of the Muslim League and was also the President of the South India Islamic League. He was conferred the title of "His Highness" in 1935. He was allowed to have a detachments of Body Guard and an Infantry Guard. He possessed guns to fire salutes on all important occasions including his birthday. His Highness the Prince of Arcot was entitled to an annual state visit from His Excellency, the Governor of Madras.
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His Highness was adhering strictly to the principles of his ancestors throughout his life. He was the premier Mohammadan nobleman of South India and the acknowledged leader of the Muslims in the Madras Presidency. He died in 1952 and was buried with full state honours.
Prince Ghulam Mohiuddin Khan Bhadur succeeded his brother Prince Ghulam Muhammad Ali Khan Bahadur in the year 1952, as His Highness the Prince of Arcot.
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He was honoured as Sheriff of Madras by the Madras Government in the year 1935. During his Princeship, he maintained the dignity of the title like his forefathers. He maintained cordial relationship with the dignitaries in the Central and the State Governments.
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Highness had the honour of entertaining distinguished guests from time to time at his official ancestral residence, 'Amir Mahal', Madras. Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the President of India visited in 1956, Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in 1955 and again in 1963, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, Dr. Zakir Hussain and Vice Presidents, Mr.V.V. Giri, Mr. Sanjeeva Reddi, Mr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed were a few among the eminent men who honoured the Prince with their visits to Amir Mahal. Also, the Prince had the privilege of inviting the State Governors and Chief Ministers annually.
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The Prince performed Haj (Pilgrimage to Makkah) with his family and staff in the year 1966, and had the honour of being the guest of the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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He died in October 1969 after a brief illness. He was buried with full state honours.
Ghulam Mohammed Abdul Khader succeeded his father, Prince Ghulam Mohiuddin Khan Bahadur in 1969. The President of India recognised him officially as "His Highness The Prince of Arcot", by virtue of his inheritance.
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He also continued to enjoy the privileges and courtesies allowed to him by the Government and had been accorded a very high rank in the Warrant of Precedence. (His rank in the State Warrant of Precedence was on par with the Cabinet Ministers)
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He was connected with many social, religious and philanthropic institutions in the State. He also maintained cordial relationship with the Central and State Governments at all times. He was a non-political person like his forefathers.
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Prince Ghulam Mohammed Abdul Khader was managing The Prince of Arcot Endowments, Trichy and Madras and also looking after the affairs of Arcot Wakf in the Holy Lands of Makkah and Madinah. These Endowments were created by his ancestor, Nawab Wallajah, about 250 years earlier. The Endowments maintain about Eight Mosques in the State today.
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He performed the Haj twice, in the year 1966 and 1982. On both the occasions, he was the guest of the King of Saudi Arabia, regarded as a rare honour for an Indian Muslim.
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On 30-8-1988, the President of India, Mr. R.Venkataraman honoured the Prince by visiting his ancestral official residence, 'Amir Mahal', Madras.
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The Prince also followed the tradition of the family by hosting receptions to the State Governors and Chief Ministers. He was married to Jeelani Begum saheba and blessed with three sons Mohammed Abdul Ali, Mohammed Khaleelullah and Mohammed Fazlullah and a daughter Sultana Begum, and grandchildren. The Prince died on 30-8-1993 after a brief illness. He was buried with full state honours and the funeral was carried on a Military Carriage.
Born in the Royal House of Arcot, on the 9th August, 1951, Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali is the eldest son of the Nawab Ghulam Mohammed Abdul Khader, the late Prince of Arcot and lives in the historic palace of his ancestors, 'Amir Mahal', in Royapettah in the city of Chennai (Madras), India.
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The family traces its lineage from the second Caliph of Islam, Hazrath Omar Bin-Khattab. Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali succeeded his later father, and was recognised by His Excellency the President of India, as "HIS HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF ARCOT".
Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali continues to enjoy certain special privileges, honours and courtesies accorded to him by the Government to the Prince of Arcot since 1870. He was also been accorded a very high protocol by the Government in the Warrant of Precedence, under Article 15-A, and his rank is on par with State Cabinet Ministers.
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He was the Sheriff of Madras for two separate terms, in the year 1984-85 and 1988. He is a well known committed social activist, involved in many social, cultural and religious institutions in the country. He is a non-political and non-communal person like his forefathers. The Prince is the Founder Secretary-General of 'Harmony India', a registered Association formed in 1990 to promote communal amity, secularism and national integration. He is the President of All India Muslim Educational Society (AIMES). The Prince is the head of the Carnatic Family Association.
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The Hon'ble Prime Minister of India had nominated Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali as a Jury Member of the National Foundation for Communal Harmony, an organisation established by the Central Government, Ministry of Home Affairs, along with His Excellency the Vice-President of India, the Hon'ble Chief Justice of India, the Chairman of the University Grant Commission (U.G.C.), and the Union Home Secretary.
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The Prince administers his ancestral Endowments, known as "The Prince of Arcot Endowments", and maintains several mosques in the State of Tamil Nadu. The administration of these Endowments is governed by the Madras Act II of 1923. He also manages the Wakfs in the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, known as 'Arcot Wakf', which arranges the stay and arrangements of the pilgrims from our country, particularly the State of Tamil Nadu.
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On many occasions, the Prince was the Royal Guest of His Majesty the King of Saudi Arabia, during his visits to the Kingdom. He was nominated as the Deputy Leader of the Indian Goodwill Haj Delegation by the Hon'ble Prime Minister, in the years 1995, 1997 and 1998.
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The State Governor and the Tamil Nadu Government have nominated Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali as a member in many high-level State committees. He is the Vice-Chairman, Tamil Nadu Government Urdu Academy. He is the State Chief Scout for Tamil Nadu Branch of the All India Boys Scouts Association and an active member of the Lions Club of Marina Beach, Lion's International District 324-AI. The Prince has been the recipient of many awards for this social service, including the National Unity Award from His Excellency the Governor of Tamil Nadu on many occasions. He was the recipient of "For the Sake of Honour" award from the Rotary Club.
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Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali, Prince of Arcot, is a patron of music, art and literature and his hobbies are photography, gardening and reading books. He is married to Sayeeda Begum and blessed with two sons, Nawabzada Mohammed Asif Ali and Nawabzada Mohammed Naser Ali and daughters-in-law, Seema Ahmed and Aasia Zainab respectively.
Nawabzada Mohammed Asif Ali is the Heir-Apparent and Dewan to the present Prince of Arcot, Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali. The noble lineage of the family elegantly extends back to the esteemed Hazrath Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), revered as the second Caliph of Islam. He hails from the city of Chennai, India.
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Leadership and Philanthropy
A man of multifaceted talents, Nawabzada serves as the Chairman of Whiteleaf Ventures Private Limited. In addition to his corporate leadership, he holds the esteemed position of President within the Carnatic Family Association, illustrating his dedication to culture and heritage.
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Humanitarian Initiatives
Nawabzada is a tireless advocate for those less fortunate. He wears the mantle of Founder Trustee of the Arcot Foundation, an organization dedicated to alleviating the basic needs of underprivileged individuals from diverse faiths, underscoring his commitment to social welfare.\
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Global Ambassadorships
On the international stage, Nawabzada has been appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador of the Street Child Cricket World Cup 2023, embodying the spirit of sport and solidarity. He also serves as the Brand Ambassador for Chennai's Children's Literature Festival, championing the cause of education and literacy. He is nominated on the Advisory Board of the American International Accreditation Association of Schools and Colleges (AIAASC).
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Academic Journey
He completed his schooling at the eminent Don Bosco School, followed by a Bachelor's degree in Commerce at the Loyola College, Chennai.
Honorary Doctorate
Recognizing his remarkable contributions, the International Global Peace University conferred upon Nawabzada an Honorary Doctorate in Social Work at the Tamil Nadu's Achievers Conference, held in Chennai. This honour underscores his dedication to social betterment.
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Patron of Sports and Culture
In the realm of sports, Nawabzada's influence extends as the Chief Patron of the Cricket Federation of Tamil Nadu and as the Chairman of the Thamizhan Football Club, both testaments to his passion for fostering athletic talent.
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Inspirational Speaker and Quizmaster
A consummate Quizmaster, Nawabzada hosts engaging quiz events for schools, colleges, corporates, consulates, and clubs. Beyond the realm of quizzing, he serves as a motivational speaker, fervently promoting educational and learning events for the benefit of students.
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Patron of Arts and Literature
An ardent patron of art and literature, Nawabzada is deeply involved in the cultural sphere. His role as a social and cultural activist and a committed philanthropist underscores his holistic approach to community betterment.
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Musical Maestro
Beyond his illustrious career, Nawabzada is an avid musician as a hobby, renowned for his prowess as a pianist. His personal music studio, with state-of-the-art music studio cutting-edge digital technology, serves as the creative hub where he scores music with finesse. In a remarkable testament to his musical artistry, he has not only composed but also lent his own voice to the fascinating composition 'Raaste,' that was released