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Syed Ahmed El Edroos

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Commander in chief of the Nizams Army
Syed Ahmed El-Edroos
Syed Ahmed El Edroos
Born3 March 1899
Sangareddy, Hyderabad State, British India
Died20 July 1962 (aged 63)
Bangalore, Mysore State, India
Allegiance British India
 Hyderabad State
RankCommander-in-chief, Major general
UnitHyderabad Lancers
Hyderabad State Forces
Battles / warsWorld War I
World War II
Operation Polo

Syed Ahmed El-Edroos (Arabic: سيد أحمد العيدروس, romanized: Saiyid Aḥmad al-‘aidarūs; 3 March 1899 – 20 July 1962) was the commander-in-chief of the Hyderabad State Forces at the time of the annexation of Hyderabad State by India in 1948.

Life

Major General Syed Ahmed El Edroos offers his surrender of the Hyderabad State Forces to Major General Joyanto Nath Chaudhuri at Secunderabad

Syed Ahmed El-Edroos was of Arab Hadhrami descent. He was commissioned in 1919. El-Edroos participated in both World Wars, serving in the 1st Hyderabad Lancers.

El-Edroos was a close confidante and trusted aide of the Nizam of Hyderabad. His brothers were also senior officers and distinguished members of the Nizam's army.

He was ready for a war but was advised by the Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan, not to fight and surrendered to the Indian Army forces outside of Hyderabad city so that there would be no bloodshed of innocent people.

In September 1948 El-Edroos held the rank of Major-General and Commander of the State Army of Hyderabad. This numbered 6,000 men and consisted of three armoured regiments, a horse cavalry regiment, 11 infantry battalions and artillery. It was supported by 18,000 poorly armed and trained irregulars. In the course of Operation Polo, the Indian Army was able to scatter this mixed force in five days of fighting. General El-Edroos, who had advised the Nizam against opposing the entry of Indian forces, surrendered on 17 September. In 1950, General Edroos was arrested on the allegation of helping Mir Laiq Ali to escape to Pakistan. After two months he was released after an enquiry did not find any evidence against him. He left Hyderabad and settled in Bangalore. His children emigrated to Pakistan.

Autobiography

His autobiography Hyderabad of the Seven Loaves was published in April 1994 and presented a historical account of the Asaf Jahi dynasty with an autobiographical sketch of the author, covering the events of Hyderabad's merger with the Indian Union. It narrates several anecdotes and facts about the city during the Nizami reign. The book also contains some rare pictures of the royal and aristocratic events that took place at the time.

References

  1. Leonard, Karen Isaksen (2007). Locating Home: India's Hyderabadis Abroad. Stanford University Press. pp. 25, 111. ISBN 978-0-8047-5442-2.
  2. Khan, Asghar Ali (15 September 2019). "September 17, 1948—a sweeping 'invasion' of Hyderabad State". The Siasat Daily. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  3. Khan, Zeenat (13 September 2023). "The tragic tale of General Edroos, who fought a losing battle for the princely state of Hyderabad". Scroll.in. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  4. Khalidi, Omar (1994). "Memoirs of General El Edroos". Pakistan Historical Society. 42 (2): 181–213.

External links

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