It is not unusual to find stamps which are extremely difficult to identify. It is even more difficult if the inscriptions are in Oriental languages. This is very much the case of Hyderabad, one of the many Indian native states.

Hyderabad is located in the central part of India! Today it is known as the state of Andhra Pradesh. Until India’s independence in 1947, Hyderabad was a more or less independent state under British protection. In the 1940’s, Hyderabad had a population of some 18 million people.

Hinduism was and is the predominating religion in the state. It is estimated that some 90% of the population adhered to this religion. However, the ruler of the state was a Muslim as were the remaining 10% of the population. The state’s leadership was basically all Muslim. The ruler was referred to as The Nizam.

Hyderabad had accepted British protection in the early 1800’s. In connection with the 1947 events, the Nizam clearly declared that he wanted independence for Hyderabad Deccan. A set of four essays were prepared for an issue to mark the state’s independence in 1948.

The Indian government threatened to invade Hyderabad militarily and the Nizam had to give up his plans for independence. The four essays still remind us of these events. They are generally only mentioned in a footnote in our catalogues without being illustrated.

Having recently been able to add the essays to my collection I am happy to show all four nearby.

Hyderabad was a well functioning state with its own banking system, an efficient civil administration, reliable communications and a postal service. The very first Hyderabad postage stamp was issued way back in 1869 and it had a denomination of one anna. The stamps were printed locally using plates which had been engraved in London.

In 1871, two locally produced stamps were issued. After they had been sold out collector demand remained strong. Thus in 1880 they were reprinted in a variety of colours to please the collectors of the day.

Also in 1871 a new definitive set was issued. Once again the printing plates had been prepared in England but the actual printing of the stamps took place in Hyderabad. These stamps carry the words Post Stamp and the denomination in English. They were apparently the world’s very first stamps with text in four different languages: English, Marathi, Telugu and Urdu.

In 1905 the English wording was changed to Postage and in 1915 it became Post & Receipt to indicate that the stamps could also be used for a variety of fiscal purposes. Most of these stamps are still very much affordable but there are numerous interesting colour and perforation varieties to seek out.

In 1927 the state released a stamp which had the wording H.E.H. The Nizam’s Government. This was the first time that a Hyderabad stamp had the state’s name in English.

Hyderabad’s first pictorials were issued in 1931. They are very impressive stamps depicting local monuments and buildings in the state.

In 1937, the Nizam celebrated his Silver Jubilee. To coincide with the event, the Hyderabad Post Office issued a set of four stamps featuring the university, an exhibition hall and two hospitals. As always they chose not to include the state’s name- it was obviously thought that the ruler’s title was quite sufficient.

Hyderabad helped the Allies with a substantial contingent of soldiers in World War II. The victory was celebrated with a commemorative stamp showing a soldier returning home. It is Hyderabad’s sole stamp which actually carries the state’s name (except for the previously mentioned independence essays).

A few other stamps were issued during 1947-1949. In September 1948, the Hyderabad postal system was absorbed into the Indian Post Office and by the end of 1949 the use of Hyderabad stamps ceased. All in all the state issued some 60 postage stamps between 1869 and 1949.

There was a similar amount of service stamps. They are ordinary postage stamps overprinted with the word Sarkari in the Urdu language. The word can be translated as service. The service stamps offer many opportunities for specialization as there is a wealth of perforation and overprint varieties.

Nawab Mir Usman Ali Khan was Hyderabad’s last Nizam from 1911 until 1948. He passed away in 1967. It would have been interesting to know his views on the development of Andhra Pradesh which previously had been his personal domains. En English the official name of the state was The Dominions of The Nizam.

With a total of some 120 postage and service stamps Hyderabad is the perfect area for those collectors who are looking for new chaJienges. In addition to stamps the supply of covers and postal stationery is plentiful. Considering the size of the state, the local post office must have handled considerable quantities of mail. Also the many pictorials give us a good picture of this princely state. Following Muslim practise of not picturing humans, there are no stamps showing the Nizam, India’s most prominent Muslim ruler.