Augustine Agarwal-
The head of the Royal House of Rampur Muhammad Kazim Ali Khan awarded its orders of chivalry, the Nishan-e-Hamidiya (Order of Hamid) and the Nishan-e-Iqbal (Order of Iqbal) on 12 January 2024.
The Nishan-e-Hamidiya was conferred on the Prince Darrick of Hawai’i, Ali’i Nui, and Princess Anna of Hawai’i. Representative to the Royal Houses of India, Dr. J. A. Das, in addition to Julius Jackson and Brandon Brown, the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor of the Royal House of Kamakahelei, received the Nishan-e-Iqbal.
Rampur State was a princely state in north India headed by a Nawab that came into existence during British rule in 1774, consequent to the Treaty of Oudh. The knighthoods were established by Nawab Hamid Ali Khan Bahadur. The Order of Hamid was founded in 1894 and the Order of Iqbal in 1927.
Under Nawab Faizullah Ali Khan, Rampur State became a successor to the Kingdom of Rohilkhand and became the markaz (center) of north Indian culture during the era of colonial rule in 1774. Its cooks were trained in the culinary traditions of both India and Europe. Distinctive dishes like Dar e Bahisht (a dessert made of almonds and milk) and Murgh Dampakht Pulao (pulao with chicken) were created in the Royal House of Rampur.
Under the reign of H.R.H. Nawab Hamid Ali Khan Bahadur, Hamid Manzil was erected, which houses the Rampur Library, a world-famous library that holds over 60,000 books, 5,000 miniatures, and a historic art collection. In the realm of music, the Rampur-Sahaswan gharana of Hindustani classical music was developed. After the accession of Rampur State to the Dominion of India in 1949, the Royal House has continued to be a patron of cultural activities in Uttar Pradesh and beyond.
