Dubai-based banker chronicles Hyderabadi royal's vintage cars

Mohammad Luqman Ali Khan with a 1934 Ford Model B.

Mohammad Luqman Ali Khan is a Dubai-based banker and also an automobile enthusiast. Coming from the land of the Nizams of Hyderabad, this retromobilist has chronicled the legendary collection of luxurious cars by Mir Osman Ali Khan, who figured on the cover of Time magazine's February 22, 1937, edition as 'The Richest Man in the world'.
Luqman's book 'Automobiles of the Nizams' has a rare collection of over 500 pictures related to motor cars owned by the Hyderabad ruler family. The book features Rolls-Royce, Napier and Humber among 400 cars, which belonged to the Nizams and their princes from one of the world's wealthiest dominions.
"Mir Osman Ali Khan, the Nizam VII, was once the richest in the world and had the best cars. Among the collection was a mobile throne-shaped Rolls-Royce in which Mir Osman would travel. Then there were Napiers, Daimler, Mercedes Benz, Bentleys and all of them have stories to tell. The cars had red number plate which read Hyderabad 1," Luqman told Khaleej Times.
He has travelled extensively for research to write the book.
"I have found his cars in Europe, the US, Australia and Asia. Mir Osman passed on his estate to his grandson Mir Barkat Ali Khan, Nizam VIII, and Mukarram Jah Bahadur, the present Nizam of Hyderabad. Mukarram Jah Bahadur's wife princess Esra Birgin and son prince Azmet Jah gave me access to the millions of files in the palace archives and the remaining cars in Hyderabad. The book commemorates the golden jubilee of coronation of Mukarram Jah Bahadur, which was held on April 6 in 1967. I wanted the world to know about the unique collection from the 'Royal Garage'. Some of the cars are there in the Nizam's Chow Mohalla Palace Museum," Luqman said while showing photographs of him standing next to the 1912 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost.
Luqman is an avid researcher of vintage and classic cars, art, antiques and hence got nicknamed as 'Vintage Khan'.
He has also done many automobile shows and was part of Hyderabad's first English news channel.
"I have collected never-before-seen photos and records of the glorious period. Many researchers and historians find me as the go-to man for all things related to old Hyderabad," Luqman added.
The first-of-its-kind pictorial book will be available at leading stores worldwide from next month. And after spending over a decade in the UAE, as a tribute to the region and its leaders, Luqman is compiling his next book - 'Rolls-Royce in Arabia'.
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com