Mir Osman Ali Khan

He was one of the Nizams of Hyderabad. He was responsible for a lot of good things. Osmania University being one of the biggest in education. He was the seventh in the line of Nizams. Before him too, many predecessors did a lot of good. But this one was probably one of the best. The buildings housing the university in Hyderabad are majestic, and resemble the palaces that many kings around the world had. Our engineering college in the campus was also a part of that stupendous set of architectural wonders.

This guy also set up Singareni Collieries, a coal-mining company later taken over by the Indian government. This company is where my parents spent most of their working life. It is spread across towns like Yellandu, Kothagudem, Ramagundam and Bellampalli in Andhra Pradesh.

How do I know all this? Happened to visit the Choumohalla Palace where one of the Nizams lived. It is close to Charminar in Hyderabad, and is a nice example of palatial yet simple, elegant living. Huge courtyards and a fountain are the mainstay of the complex, which was opened to the public after a restoration only a few years ago. There is also a section housing vintage cars and buggies that is classy. Includes a yellow Rolls Royce, sparkling. I was inspired to visit after reading of a trip by some students of IMT. Also, a friend's book had a cover shot taken in this beautiful place.