Nawab Imad-ul-Mulk, Syed Husain Bilgrami ,was one of the most remarkable personages who lived in Hyderabad. He belonged to a well- known family of Syeds who migrated from Arabia in the beginning of the thirteenth century. Imad-ul-Mulk was born in 1842 at Sahibgunj in Gaya district. He received his early education in Arabic and Persian and his father Syed Zainuddin Hussain taught him English. In 1859, he went to Calcutta and joined La Martinier College.

Later he graduated from the Presidency College in 1866 with distinction. In 1864 he was married to the daughter of Syed Muhammed Zaki. At the age of 26 Imad-ul-Mulk became a professor of Arabic at the Canning College, Lucknow. At the same time, his merit as a writer of English was known, and he was put in charge of the Lucknow Times, a bi-weekly organ of the Taluqdars of Oudh. In 1871, Nawab Salar Jung I went to Calcutta to meet Lord Northbrook, Viceroy of India, and on his return journey he passed through Lucknow.

Salar Jung during his visit met Imad-ul-Mulk and he was much impressed by the young Syed. Salar Jung invited Imad-ulM ulk to come to Hyderabad and work for the Nizam’s Government. In 1873, Imad-ul-Mulk came to Hyderabad and settled down in Hyderabad for ever. Imad-ul-Mulk was appointed as the Private Secretary to Nawab Salar Jung. It was a post of great importance and Imad-ul-Mulk proved his worth. In 1876, Sir Salar Jung went to Europe and Imad-ul-Mulk was asked to accompany him. In 1884, when Mir Mahboob Ali Khan Nizam VI assumed charge of the State, Imad-ul-Mulk was appointed Secretary to the Council, of which Nizam himself was the President. In 1884, Syed Hussain was honoured with the title “Ali Yar Khan Motamin Jung” with a mansab of 200 zat and 500 horses and a flag. In 1886, the title of Imad-ul-Dawlah was conferred on him.

In 1890, he was further honoured with the title of Imad-ul-Mulk Bahadur. On the retirement of Col. Marshall in 1889, Nawab Imad-ul-Mulk was upgraded to the post of Private Secretary to 1-1.1-I. Nizam VI. The work of Nawab Imad-ul-Mulk as an educationist was his greatest contribution to l-Iyderabad. In 1878, he founded Madrasa- i Aizza, and during the following year he founded Hyderabad College. In 1883, he became Director of Public Instruction and also wrote History of Nizam’s Dominion in two volumes. In the year 1888, he was responsible for establishing Dairat ul-Maarif and Asafia Library.

In 1900, he presided over a meeting of the Muhammadan AngloO riental Educational Conference at Rampur. In 1902 he was elected as a member of the Imperial Legislative Council for a period of two years. In 1896. Imad-ul-Mulk was appointed as a tutor of Mir OsmanAli Khan. In 1911, when Salar Jung Ill became the Prime Miniter of the State, Imad-ul-Mulk was appointed as his advisor. In 1926, he received the honorary degree of I)octor of Laws at the Osmania University’s first convocation. Nawab Imad ul--Mulk possessed a versatile personality and he played a distinguished role in the promotion of learning throughout his life. He died on 3rd .June, 1926.