Amir Ali Khan (subedar)

Subedar Amir Ali Khan
Amir Ali Khan in 1942
Born	Amir Ali Khan Nov. 9, 1899 India
Died	April 10, 1987 Hyderabad
Nationality	Indian
Education	Hyderabad Civil Service
Occupation	Subedar
Known for	Father of pensioners
Spouse	Rehmath Khatoon

Amir Ali Khan was one of the four Subedars in the Hyderabad district during the erstwhile Nizam's rule.

Amir Ali Khan died in 1987. He was also the president of the All India Pensioner's Association. He is remembered as the father of pensioners in India. His house is located on the Malakpet Junction-Dabeerpura, flyover stretch.

Early life

Amir Ali Khan in childhood

Subedar Amir Ali Khan Sahab was born on November 9, 1899 in Hyderabad. His father's name was Sardar Ali Khan Sahab. He completed his early education in Hyderabad itself. He completed his matriculation in 1916. He was a graduate from Nizam College.

Career

Amir Ali Khan with classmates

Amir Ali Khan while training for H.C.S Akola

He joined Hyderabad Civil Services (HCS) (Equivalent to the present IAS) in the year 1918.

Walkers Gold Medal H.C.S

Gold medal for his achivement

Name on the medal

The Tuljapur Epidemic

Subedar Amir Ali Khan took over the reins of Suba Gulbarga (in the then Hyderabad State) in 1937 the Tuljapur Epidemic broke out. Tuljapur (now in Maharashtra) is known for its philosophical stories associated with the famous Tuljapur Temple. Hundreds of Thousands of people from all over India throng to this Temple Town every year to participate in the Annual Jatra held on a particular day of the year.

More than 100,000 Pilgrims attend the Jatra, drawn from four corners of India. None of the previous district officials had made any special arrangements to provide the necessary amenities to such a large number of Pilgrims as well the thousands of Vendors, Hawkers, Thhela Bandi Wallahs, Food and Snacks Sellers, Toy Sellers, Giant Wheel and other Playground Equipment Wallahs, Magicians, Snake Charmers, Musicians, Soothsayers, Singers, Dancers, Monkey Wallahs, Bear Wallahs, Jokers, Story Tellers, Conjurers, Con Men, Hakims, Vaids, Quacks and God Men who keep a track of_ and survive on the business generated during_ such Jatras, Urs’ and Melas being conducted in quick succession at one Temple Dargah or the other in different places throughout the country on different dates almost throughout the year.

While the situation with regard to planning and provision of Pilgrim amenities, safety, health and hygiene in other such Pilgrimage centers was nothing to boast about it was particularly grim in Tuljapur. In addition to these problems, there used to be traffic chaos while trekking over the dingy, pot holed and just 12 feet wide road leading to the Jatra place. Subedar Saab ordered this road to be widened to 60 feet to ease the traffic jam for the pilgrims.

Lack of safe drinking water, proper sanitation and drainage, open defecations and generally very unhygienic conditions culminated into an Epidemic of Cholera and Plague spread like wild fire.

The Epidemic started spreading with no let up. Subedar Amir Ali Khan took note of the grim situation. And like an Army Commander he hastened to mobilize the state resources to fight the Epidemic he set the tone and pace of the entire Suba administration on a War Footing. Subedar Saab immediately mobilized the Medical and Health wing and all available Doctors and health workers and kept them on their toes until the unfortunate Health Emergency lasted. The services of other departmental employees were also commandeered and they were immediately pressed into relief and rehabilitation work. Wasting no further time, Overhead Water Tanks were ordered to be built. And in order to meet the temporary exigency expediently, Water in Bulk was brought in tankers from adjoining areas.

A special Sanitation and Cleanliness drive was undertaken and the people were advised to take necessary precautions and also to isolate and report even their near and dear ones if any symptoms of Cholera or Plague were noticed in them. They were also being advised to use the Temporary Toilets and Baths built by the Government instead of relieving themselves in the open or taking bath in the fields, near water courses and ponds. Garbage was removed and burnt, dead rats, which are the major Carriers of the Bubonic Plague Virus were destroyed by burning and the remaining live rats were caught in hundreds of Rat Traps that were set up and killed with Rat Poison in a special drive involving the villagers and some volunteer pilgrims. Those that had already contracted the disease were isolated, Quarantined treated and the unaffected were given preventive medicines as were available during those days.

With all these measures, implemented with clockwork precision and at great speed, the Epidemic subsided without taking a further toll of people, apart from those who had already caught the infection and had died before any treatment could reach them.

The total toll in such a major Epidemic in Tuljapur was in Hundreds which could actually have escalated perhaps to thousands, had the Subedar Saab not taken the measures he did and had he not remained in the forefront of this war against the Twin Epidemic day and night and had he not inspired the people and his subordinates to risk their own lives to save hundreds of thousands of Pilgrims by his own personal example.

People heaved a sigh of relief and Subedar Saab got a well deserved respite when the Cholera and Plague Epidemics beat a hasty retreat without leaving a trail of death and destruction they were otherwise capable of.

Given below is a translation of a Memorandum written in Urdu and submitted to the then Prime Minister of Hyderabad Sir Akbar Hyderi by the chairman and the members of the Town Improvement Board Tuljapur, acknowledging the service rendered by Subedar Saab to the town.

“To,

His Excellency Right Hon’ble Sir Akbar Hyderi, Nawab Hyder Nawaz Jung Bahadur,

The Prime Minister of Hyderabad.

Sir,

We are the inhabitants of Tuljapur town in Usmanabad District, where the famous Sri Tulja Bhavani Temple, a noted pilgrim centre is located. The population of this town is 6057, out of which 5354 persons are directly or indirectly dependant on this temple for their livelihoods. More than one lakh pilgrims from all parts of India come to this small town for a darshan of the Devi, during the annual Jatra.

The habitations of the pilgrims in and around the Jatra places become so densely populated that the pilgrims found it difficult to move around and face great difficulties in travelling.Traffic chaos were rampant while trekking over the dingy, pot holed and just 10-14 feet wide road that lead to the temple from the Jatra place. The width of old and meandering passages within the town, made it difficult for such a large number of pilgrims to travel safely. None of the previous district officials had made any special arrangements in Tuljapur town to provide the necessary amenities to such a large number of Pilgrims and our pleas were brushed aside on the excuse that there were denser populations and narrower passages everywhere in India. The sufferings faced by the pilgrims due to this lack of interest and planning on the part of the administration need not be emphasized. But shortly after Subedar Amir Ali Khan took over the reins of Suba Gulbarga, he ordered this road to be widened to 100 feet to ease the traffic jam for the pilgrims.

Your Excellency have been known for time bound program execution and luckily during your period we were provided with all kinds of amenities, facilities and comforts that we are short of words to thank your Excellency and our benign ruler H.E.H. the Nizam, for his munificence.  We offer our thanks to your Excellency and request your Excellency to convey our thanks to the H.E.H. the Nizam. We will feel elated and honored if the same is accepted. Your Excellency, during his reign, Subedar Amir Ali Khan has turned his special attention to solve the problems of this pilgrim town. The width of this new road, which is already opened for traffic, is 60 feet and wide foot paths are built on either side. Electrical poles with streetlights are being installed and will shortly be illuminated. Trees are planted on both sides of the footpaths. In a few years the trees will grow up to provide shade to the pilgrims.

Your Excellency, the construction of this new road cost about Rs. Fifty thousand. We are deeply grateful to your Govt. and the H.E.H. for the sanction of this huge amount. Water works, Electricity and Drainage works have been ordered by the Subedar Saab with a cost of Rs. 36800/- and the same are in progress. We are also thankful to Moulvi Samiullah Sahib, special engineer water works and his officers who are aware of our needs and doing their work sincerely under the guidance of Subedar Saab. Your Excellency is aware that due to the shortfall in rains in the year 1346 Fasli, all but one well of the town dried up and not even a bowl of water could be fetched from them. As a result, your subjects were forced to fetch water from a distance of two miles. Due to the unhygienic conditions resulting from water shortage, an epidemic of Cholera broke out and eight to ten deaths were being reported on a daily basis. As soon as Subedar Amir Ali Khan, the Collector of this district received this information, he made arrangements forthwith and provided emergency relief and facilities to the subjects for protecting their lives. His sympathetic attitude and sincere services to the people of this town cannot be forgotten by us. The Hygiene department on the one hand started preventive measures against Cholera through inoculations / vaccinations and on the other the local fund department installed a pump set and constructed water galleries at the lone working well two miles away. 500 Gallon steel water storage tanks with taps were installed at various places within the town and habitations. Water from the above said well and adjoining areas was brought in day and night in tankers and people, irrespective of cast and creed took water from these taps. People were also being advised to use the Temporary Toilets and Baths built by the Government instead of relieving themselves in the open or taking bath in the fields, near water courses and ponds. The epidemic has completely subsided by the grace of God. Had not these and similar measures and arrangements made by Your Excellency’s Government through the district administration, God only knows how many more deaths in Tuljapur town would have occurred among the local inhabitants as well as among the pilgrims.

Your Excellency, if we describe our state of affairs and the favors of the concerned authorities, it will continue for long. So we limit our submission saying that whenever the ordure tasked, Hon’ble Revenue Member, Mr. R.N.Crofton or Nawab Ghouse Yar Jung visits Tuljapur, there is a likelihood of new favors, and the splendor and brightness in this town as a result of favors of the above said persons. And from auspicious tour of your Excellency, we hope that Tuljapur will be linked to a railway line. We have submitted our state of affairs in short before your Excellency. We request your Excellency to inaugurate the road for traffic by your auspicious hands and convey our request to H.E.H the Nizam.

We pray to God that our rulers’ power be resplendent and His Highness the Prince of Berar and Prince Moazzam Jah may live long. We also pray that your Excellency should hold the portfolio of Prime Minister ship with the perfect condition of health.

Loyal to your Excellency

Chairman and Members of town

Improvement Board

Tuljapur.

Hyderabad  co-operative Insurance Society

Amir Ali Khan as Director for Hyderabad Co-operative Insurance Society

The Bassappa Temple Row Gulbarga

There were sixteen districts of Hyderabad State, one of the districts was Gulbarga Shareef, the last resting place of the famous Sufi Saint, Khwaja Banda Nawaz (Now in Karnataka state). In this city there is a big Lingayat community temple by the name “Sharan Basappa”

During  Saab’s tenure as Subedar at Gulbarga the bitter dispute between the Hindus and Muslims over the “Bassappa Temple” lands came to a head. Subedar Amir Ali Khan made up his mind that this will not continue to assail Hindu – Muslim communal harmony and he decided to intervene in the matter.

According to authentic histrionic, the property in dispute was believed to be the compound wall around the Sharan Basappa Temple, Hindus claimed the compound wall while Muslims contended the property belonged to the nearby Khwaja Bande Nawaz Dargah premises. For more than two decades, the issue kept both the communities in opposition, with religious fervor being an impetus. Many government officials avoided addressing the communal fray. While the situation could have been turned violent and the confrontation between the two communities, it did not. Subedar Saab intervened.He realized the Hindu/Muslim communities of Gulbarga were attempting to start a war like battle over the issues.

Subedar saab took the initiative under his own stream and brought the local leaders of both communities to the negotiating table to find the truth. With his judicious foresight and administrative competence, he also called the leaders of both the communities; prominent among them was Nawab Bahadur Yar Jung the fire brand Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen leader, Mr.Mallikarjunappa, president of the Lingayat Conference and the Lingayat leader spearheading the campaign for the Bassappa Temple, the Mutawalli and Sajjada Nasheen of the Gulbarga Khwaja Bande Nawaz Dargah as well as some prominent local Hindus and Muslims and other neutral parties, to sit across the table along with the officials of revenue and the land records department. Subedar Amir Ali Khan didn’t want to let the issue prolonged and requested Mr.Abdul Kareem Sahib Timmapuri, member Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen giving details of the case and requested nawab Bahadur Yar Jung, the president of Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen to come to Gulbarga for a political solution along with Lingayat leaders of Gulbarga. Subedar Amir Ali Khan as a competent authority had the power to do it and to solve the simmering issue between the Hindus and Muslims. The Subedar exercises wisdom and caution for long lasting peace in Gulbarga and other parts of India.

As per Deccan Chronicle news paper

On 17th July 1942 foundation stone was laid to construct compound wall around Sharana Basaveshwara Temple in the presence of Subedar Amir Ali Khan

Sipaas-naama from Lingayat community

Translation of the Sipasnama

For the kind perusal of Nawab Moulvi Mohammad Amir Ali Khan Sahib, H.C.S., Subedar Gulbarga Shareef.

Your Honor!

Though your period of rule has proved a God Gift for the people of Gulbarga and the people of the Suba, irrespective of caste and creed, who have not only benefited by your good governance and prudence but also your  memorable deed shall remain for ever in the hearts of Lingayat Community as a valuable asset and that deed is the construction of the compound wall of the shrine of Shri Sharan Basappa Maharaj, because it is not a secret to your Honour that this sublime shrine is highly venerated and revered by the Lingayat community and which is a holy place for all and a famous center of pilgrimage.

Your Honor! The construction of the compound wall of this temple was a bone of contention between the Hindus and Muslims of this town for long and every one of your predecessors tried his best to solve this problem but their efforts failed. But your sagacity and wisdom, unique statesmanship and unequalled intelligence and diplomacy solved this enigmatic problem very successfully, and instead of following of orders, your infallible strategy and distinctive nature coupled with your innate courteous behavior, prevailed upon both Hindus and Muslims to bury this dispute by mutual consent. Your achievement with your, shrewdness and many sided personality is not only a cause of pride and joy for H.E.H. the Nizam’s Government but it is also an example of communal amity and administrative acumen for various towns of India which has added a new and golden chapter to the history of religious tolerance of H.E.H. the Nizam’s Government.

Your Honor! For the gratifying treatment meted out by you to the Lingayat Community, we take the honour of thanking you and hope that the appraising eye of our Lord H.E.H. The Nizam will provide you a berth in the cabinet for the welfare of the country and nation.

Your Honor! As a mark of our joy for your kind visit and honoring us, we present a humble amount of Rs.3100/- to Your Honor. Though it is a very humble Nazrana but by your benignity and favors, we are sure that Your Honor will accept this small present as a token of our sincere feelings and sentiments. These traits of yours are inherent in you.

Respected Sir, the source of civilization and culture, and peace and tranquility, from which we are being benefited/blessed from is the sun of kingdom. i.e. H.E.H. the Nizam. from whom every one of this country’s communities and religions is getting benefited. We too have imbued the religious tolerance and favors of the Asfia dynasty in general and H.E.H the Nizam in particular, through our loyalty to the throne.

May His Exalted Highness’s shadow never grow less.

Amir Ali Khan Peace and Global Foundation

The peace foundation is located in Hyderabad. Farooq Ali Khan, Chairman at Subedar Amir Ali Khan Peace Foundation is his son.

Subedar Ali Khan Road

As per GO Ms No 224 dated February 10, 2009, the government accorded permission for naming the Malakpet Junction-Dabeerpura, flyover stretch as "Subedar Amir Ali Khan Road.