In the memory of Princess Niloufer

PRINCESS NILOUFER WAS ONE OF THE TOP

TEN BEAUTIFUL WOMEN OF THE

WORLD!HER PHOTOS

APPEARED IN THE COVER PAGES OF

MAGAZINES!

Niloufer was a perfect princess in many ways and a remarkably beautiful woman of her time.

Niloufer was born on 4th January, 1916, in the Goztepe Palace in Istanbul in Turkey. Her mother was Adile Sultan, a grand-daughter of Sultan Murad V.

Adile was married and divorced earlier and it was with her second husband, Salahuddin Morali, that she gave birth to Niloufer.

AS A QUEEN OF FASHION

Princess Niloufer With Begum Aga Khan

Princess Niloufer had flamboyant taste for fashion which was reflected in her

sarees. Her fashion was widely talked about even in

Europe. 34 of her sarees were presented to the

Fashion Institute of Technology at New York.

These saris were worn by Princess Niloufer Farhat Begum Saheba of Hyderabad (1916-1989).

As the consort of an Indian prince, she was required to wear saris. Having grown up in France, mostly she commissioned designs that reflected flare for Western fashion, sensibility in their color, motif, and placement of embellishment.

These particular saris were made in India, but Princess Niloufer also commissioned saris from French designers such as Jeanne Lanvin.

Saris, Circa 1946, India, Gifts of Mr. Edward Pope, 92.132.18 and 92.132.26, photograph by Irving Solero

Her Highness the Princess Niloufer of Hyderabad, c.1946, gift of Evelyn Pope in memory of Edward J. Pope

Princess Niloufer was married to the second son of the last Nizam of Hyderabad.

She was also the last princess of the Ottoman Empire.

At the age of eight, Niloufer moved to Nice in France.

THE PRINCESS WAS BROUGHT UP IN FRANCE

Princess Niloufer of Turkey

Princess Niloufer of Hyderabad (1916-1989). Paris, March

1947.

Niloufer had a style of dressing that attracted the public . She captured the attention of the fashion media. Her sarees were especially crafted by Madhavdas, a designer from Bombay.

These were frequently reviewed and analyzed. Even in later years, when she shifted to wearing European style clothes when travelling abroad, she still managed to cut a fine figure.

One of her European dresses formed the topic of discussion in the New York Times in 1961.

Princess niloufer khanum sultana

The deposition of the Khalifa was a significant political event. Mahatma Gandhi felt that this would be the right time for the Khilafat movement, to restore the Khalifa. The leaders of the movement were Maulana Mohammed Ali and Maulana Shoukat Ali. During this movement, Shoukat Ali came to be on very friendly terms with the Khalifa.

Thus, in 1931, seeing that the Khalifa had no son, Shoukat Ali proposed that the Khalifa’s daughter, Durru Shehvar, be married to Azam Jah. The negotiations for the terms of the marriage started, but soon broke down, as the Nizam felt that the requirement for the Mehr was exorbitant. Eventually, the Nizam was able to get two marriages within the specified amount. In this way, the marriage of Niloufer to Moazzam Jah was finalized. They were married on November 12, 1931; at this wedding, the Khalifa himself acted as the Kazi.

Ex-sultan of Turkey Sultan Abdul Mejid (front row, centre) with Princess Durrushehvar and Prince Azam Jah on the left and Princess Niloufer and Prince Moazzam Jah on the right, in Nice, France after their weddings

Princess Niloufer With her husband, Prince Moazzam Jah

Princess N iloufer (extreme right) with Nizam Osman Ali Khan and his daughter

At the age of 15, she married the second son

of Nizam, Moazzam Jah. Her philanthropy

and empathy for the poor and the sick took

the form of the iconic, prestigious Institute

Niloufer Hospital to serve, care and nurture

many a sick, sane and critical cases.

Mission Statement

!! Together we share and care, give and grow !!

Niloufer Hospital had been housed in a magnificent building in the heart of historic Hyderabad with an

interesting past. The reputed institution was founded in 1949 by the benevolent princess Niloufer, who

was the daughterof Ottoman Empire of France, married prince Moazzam Jah, the second son of seventh

Nizam (the last of the Asaf Jahi rulers) of Hyderabad in 1931.

Such was the story of a lovable dream of a French princess who had the vision to serve the poor

surprisingly in India just like Florence nightingale, who served the poor as a nurse. In 1953 what began as

a 100 bed hospital with a specific vision to meet the health requirements of both mother and child, was

destined to progress with no backward looking. Initially the authorities had an unnerving and unstinting

efforts. The hospital fleet developed from a 100 bed occupancy to 500 beds with advanced maternity,

pediatric, pediatric surgery supported by excellent diagnostic facilities.

While her private life seemed empty due to lack of children, her public life became very glittering. She was invited to several functions, inaugurated several events and became a torch-bearer for women’s advancement. During the Second World War, she obtained training as a nurse, and helped in relief efforts.

Her beauty, and her active public life, received high acclaim in the press, and her portfolios featured in magazines. She was judged one of the 10 most beautiful women in the world, and was offered several roles in films.

When India became independent, Niloufer was in a peculiar position. Hyderabad had yet to decide on joining the Indian Union. As this situation dragged on, eventually Hyderabad was amalgamated into the Indian Union by a “Police Action”. Although the Nizam was retained as the Head of the State, he was just a shadow of his former self.

Niloufer decided never to return to India again. Her marriage with Moazzam Jah came to an end in 1952. She continued to live in Paris, with her mother, in a flat. Since she was barely 36, she continued to attract a lot of attention, and had some of the most famous people as friends. She was offered yet another role in a Hollywood film, but she turned it down again.

Niloufer died on 12 June 1989 (aged 73)Paris, France 9 and was buried next to her mother.

REFERENCES

1.Wikipedia

2.The Siasat Daily : Niloufer the last Princess , Sunday , 3 January

2010 by Arvind Acharya

ABOUT THE PRESENTER

Ms. Dayamani Surya holds Master’s Degree in the English Literature from Osmania University, Hyderabad, Post Graduate Certificate in Teaching of English from CIEFL, Post Graduate Diploma in Teaching of English from CIEFL, Bachelor’s degree in Science and Bachelor’s degree in Education.

She holds online professional certifications like:•Project Management•Human Resource Management•Financial Accounting• Management and Accounting• Business Process Outsourcing•Advance Learning Certificate in English Literature Analysis from Ireland.

As a Research Associate in the District Centre for English Scheme, Department of Training and Development, The English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad since 1 May 2007, her work focuses on administration, curriculum development and teaching in the International Training Programme for Foreign Students at the University.

At the personal level, she works online as a mentor, helps the scholars in their project work, compilation of articles and research papers, contributes to the publication of articles and international peer reviewed journals.