Murtaza Ali Khan

Nawab Sayyid Murtaza Ali Khan Bahadur (22 November 1923-8 February 1982) was the titular Nawab of Rampur from 1966 to his death in 1982, succeeding his father, Raza Ali Khan Bahadur.

Early life

Sayyid Murtaza Ali Khan Bahadur was born on 22 November 1923 at the Rafat Mahal, Khasbagh Palace in Rampur, the eldest son of Nawabzada (Crown Prince) Raza Ali Khan Bahadur. At the time, Murtaza's grandfather Hamid Ali Khan Bahadur was the Nawab. Upon his grandfather's death in 1930, Murtaza's father became Nawab of Rampur and Murtaza became the heir apparent. He received a strong education, first at the Doon School in New Delhi, then at Wellington College in Britain and at St.Stephen's College in New Delhi. In 1943, Murtaza was commissioned into the British Indian Army and served as an aide-de-camp to the Commander-in-Chief, India, General (later Field-Marshal) Sir Claude Auchinleck. He was promoted to Captain in 1946 and in that year was made the Brigadier of the Rampur State Forces. Also that year, Murtaza was appointed an MBE.

From 1946 until Independence, Murtaza served as the Minister of the Army for Rampur State and as the Minister for the Household, Education and Public Works until 1949 when Rampur State formally merged with India.

Titular Nawab of Rampur

Following the death of his father in 1966, Murtaza succeeded as titular Nawab of Rampur. From 1969 until 1971, he served as a member in the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly, as well as an MP in the Lok Sabha. It is an interesting historical fact that Murtaza Ali contested an election from Rampur opposite his own mother Rafat Jamani Begum in 1972 and won. In 1971, the Indira Gandhi regime stripped Nawab Murtaza and his fellow former rulers of what little rights they had left, formally ending Nawab Murtaza's standing as a monarch.

Personal life

In 1943, Murtaza married Her Highness Nawab Aftab Dulhan Sakina uz-Zamani Begum Sahiba of Pirpur (11 September 1928-3 August 1993) the daughter of a minor chieftain. The couple had a son and a daughter:

• 1. Nawabzada Syed Muhammad 'Ali Khan Bahadur, who became a US citizen and married thrice, having issue by his third wife Jeeva Varghese:
  • 1. Nawabzadi Zohra Begum Sahiba (5 August 2000-)
  • 2. Nawabzada Syed Akbar 'Ali Khan (30 November 2001-)
• 2.Nawabzadi Murtazai Begum Sahiba, who married Sayyid Intikhab Hyder Abadi and had three daughters:
  • 1. Sayyida Narqis Abadi
  • 2. Sayyida Nida Abadi
  • 3. Sayyida Sana Abadi

Murtaza Ali Khan was arrested in 1990s for smuggling charges for smuggling banned goods from Pakistan where his daughter was married and lived.

Last Years

From 1966 to 1975, Nawab Murtaza served as President of the Raza Rampur Library Trust. He became a vice-chairman on its board of trustees in 1975 and remained in that capacity until his death on 8 February 1982 after a 16-year reign, aged 58. As his son had become a US citien and had therefore forfeited his rights as Heir Apparent, Nawab Murtaza was succeeded as titular Nawab of Rampur by his younger brother, Sayyid Zulfikar Ali Khan Bahadur.

Titles

• 1923-1930: Nawabzada Sayyid Murtaza Ali Khan
• 1930-1943: Nawabzada Sayyid Murtaza Ali Khan, Wali Ahad Bahadur
• 1943-1946: Lieutenant Nawabzada Sayyid Murtaza Ali Khan, Wali Ahad Bahadur
• 1946-1966: Brigadier Nawabzada Sayyid Murtaza Ali Khan, Wali Ahad Bahadur, MBE
• 1966-1982: Brigadier His Highness 'Ali Jah, Farzand-i-Dilpazir-i-Daulat-i-Inglishia, Mukhlis ud-Daula, Nasir ul-Mulk, Amir ul-Umara, Nawab Sayyid Murtaza 'Ali Khan Bahadur, Mustaid Jang, Nawab of Rampur, MBE

Honours

• Order of Hamid of Rampur (Nishan-i-Hamidiya), 1st Class
• Order of Good Fortune of Rampur (Nishan-i-Iqbal), 1st Class
• 1939-1945 Star-1945
• War Medal 1939-1945-1945
• India Service Medal-1945
• Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)-1946

References

• Detailed biography

Murtaza Ali Khan Rohilla Dynasty Born: 23 November 1923 Died: 8 February 1982
Titles in pretence
Preceded by Raza Ali Khan Bahadur	— TITULAR — Nawab of Rampur 1966-1982 Reason for succession failure: Monarchy abolished in 1949	Succeeded by Zulfikar Ali Khan Bahadur

Persondata
Name	Bahadur, Murtaza Ali Khan
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1923
Place of birth
Date of death	1982
Place of death