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 NAWAB AMIR ALI KHAN

BAHADUR, C.I.E.

1810–1879.

"Next after Sir Salar Jung he was the best Muhammadan I have ever known." Such was the high praise bestowed upon Nawab Amir Ali Khan Bahadur by no less distinguished an administrator than Sir Richard Temple, praise which few of those who had the privilege of being acquainted with the subject of it will consider to have been exaggerated. Throughout the course of a long life he was universally respected and esteemed, wielding great influence not only among his co-religionists but among Europeans and Hindus alike, as one of the leading Muhammadans of the day in Bengal.

Amir Ali Khan came of an old Persian family which had long been settled in India. He was ninth in descent from Kazi Syed Noah who after filling the office of Kazi at Baghdad left his native land to seek his fortunes in India. Settling at Delhi he met with much respect at the Imperial Court, his great learning winning for him an honoured place, with numerous grants of land and titles of distinction. It was his grandson, Mulla Shah Noor Muhammad who was the first to leave Delhi and