Maharaja Chandu Lal
Chandu Lal Sadan (1766 - 15 April 1845 ), also known as Maharaja Chandu Lal, was born in Hyderabad Deccan (now Hyderabad, India) in a family who came from Rai Bareilly, India. He served as a Prime Minister (1833–1844) during Nawab Sikandar Jah of Hyderabad State. He was also a great poet of Urdu and Persian.
Family
Chandu Lal Sadan's father was Rai Naryen Das, who migrated from Rai Bareilly to Hyderabad State,[1] his ancestors were Hindus.[2] who served in the Mughal courts and his great grand parents included Raja Todar Mal, the Finance Minister of Akbar the Great.[1] His family is the founder of the Dafter-e-Mal (Department of Finance) in Hyderabad Deccan during Nizam ul Mulk Asif Jah I. The later prime minister, Maharaja Sir Kishen Pershad first 1901-1912, and then 1926 - 1937, is his great-grandson. The family is famously known as Malwala Family in Hyderabad, India,[2]
Career
He started career as a subordinate in the customs department of Hyderabad State.[3] Later he served as transactor of business manager and received the title of Raja Bahadur from Nawab Sikandar Jah. He led a successful expedition against Sidat fort and Konji Kota districts. He was then appointed as the commissioner, a post first held by his grandfather. Sikandar Jah selected him as accounts officer of his army. Later the then prime minister Monir-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad State, assigned him the financial and judicial affairs of the state. In 1819 Chandu Lal received the title of Maharaja from Sikandar Jah and a cash award of one crore rupees. In 1822 he was made the head of seven thousand horsemen with the title of Raja e Rajagan from Nawab Nasir ud dawlah. After the death of Monir-ul-Mulk in 1833, Chandu Lal succeeded him as a prime minister.[1]
Prime minister
Chandu Lal was made prime minister in the year 1833 AD and he hold the office until 1844 AD.[1]
Poet
Chandu Lal (who used the pen name Sadan) as a learned man, was a great patron of Urdu poetry and literature, his generosity attracted Urdu poets and writers of the time to his court. He even invited norther poets like Zauq and Nashik of Delhi to Hyderabad State but they refusedd for certain reasons. Despite the responsibility of his prime ministerial office he used to regularly organize and attend Mushaira.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Qasemi, Sharif Husain (15 December 1990). "Chandu Lal Sadan: Maharaja, statesman and poet in Persian and Urdu". Retrieved 2014-12-11.
- 1 2 Leonard, Karen (May 1971). "The Hyderabad Political System and its Participants". The Journal of Asian Studies. 30 (3): 569–582. doi:10.1017/s0021911800154841. JSTOR 2052461. (subscription required (help)).
- ↑ Buckland, Charles Edward (1906). Dictionary of Indian biography. S. Sonnenschein.