Mir Barkat Ali Khan, popularly known as Prince Mukarram Jah Bahadur, the eighth Nizam of Hyderabad, passed away in Istanbul (Turkey), a statement from his office in Hyderabad said. He was 89.
“We are deeply saddened to inform that Nawab Mir Barket Ali Khan Walashan Mukarram Jah Bahadur, H.E.H The Eighth Nizam of Hyderabad passed away peacefully in Istanbul, Turkey late last night at 10:30 pm (IST),” the statement said.
The body was kept at Khilwat in Hyderabad Chowmahalla Palace for people to pay their last respects. Thousands of people poured into the palace to pay homage to departed soul.
Later, the body was wrapped in the flag of Asaf Jahi dynasty and brought to Mecca Masjid for a procession. A band from the state police headed the procession, as the Telangana government announced a state funeral for Jah as a mark of respect. At the time of burial, the police gave him a guard of honour.
Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao visited Chowmahalla Palace and paid floral tributes to the departed and offered condolences to other family members. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president A Revanth Reddy and other party leaders also paid their tributes.
Mukarram Jah was born on October 6, 1933 to Mir Himayat Ali Khan alias Azam Jah Bahadur, the first son of Mir Osman Ali Khan, the seventh Nizam of the Princely State of Hyderabad before it was merged with the Indian Union in September, 1948. His mother Princess Durru Shewar was the daughter of the last Sultan of Turkey (Ottoman Empire) Sultan Abdul Mejid II. She died in the beginning of the 2000s.