The richest man in the country had a net worth of $220 billion and wore modest clothes. He also had an odd habit of only cleaning his bedroom once a year.
India has historically been a land of treasures and riches. Several kings and nawabs ruled the land and amassed a fortune for themselves and led a life of luxury and royalty. One such man was Osman Ali Khan whose wealth was beyond imagination and was once renowned as India's first and wealthiest billionaire by the East India Company.
Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan had a net worth of 1910987 crores ($230 billion) and was the last Nizam of Hyderabad. According to Times Magazine, Osman's wealth was estimated to be around 2% of the US GDP and was once renowned as the wealthiest man on the planet.
His unparalleled wealth was mainly due to the Golconda mines which were the only source of diamonds during that time. The Nizams ruled Hyderabad from 1724 to 1948 and left a lasting impact on its history and culture during their rule of 224 years.
Osman had incomparable riches yet was a hoarder of wealth and lived a modest life. He was known for having a simple ensemble and an odd habit of letting his bedroom be cleaned only once a year. He also had a liking for biscuits from Vicaji Bakery which were later named 'Osmania' after his unwavering fondness for them.
His royal and luxurious lifestyle can be witnessed by his collection of 50 Rolls Royce cars and a private airline. He also had a Rs 1000 crore diamond as a paperweight, 400 million pounds of jewels, and 100 million pounds of gold.
He also possessed several valuable diamonds and gems such as Koh-i-Noor, Darya-e-Nur, Nur-Ul-Ain, Princie, and Wittlesbach diamonds among others.
On February 2, 1967, Nizam Osman passed away at the age of 80 years due to a brief struggle with pneumonia and was entombed at Masjid-e-Judi at King Kothi.
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