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J. N. Chaudhuri

Indian Army officer who commanded the main force in the Police Action against Hyderabad in September 1948 and then governed the state as Military Governor until 1 December 1949. With a cabinet nominated by the Government of India, he disbanded the Razakars and other private armies, brought in officers from the Indian provinces and toured the districts; his government's publicity of 1949 presented his rule as secular and even-handed.

Major General J. N. Chaudhuri was the Indian Army officer who commanded the troops that entered Hyderabad State in September 1948.1 He then ruled the state as Military Governor for more than a year.2 His government began preparing for elections to a constituent assembly for the state.3

The Police Action

Sarojini Regani’s history of the freedom movement, written from the Congress side, gives the plan of the operation.41 Indian troops entered the state early on 13 September 1948.4 They were commanded by Major General Chaudhuri, under Lieutenant General Rajendrasinhji, head of the Southern Command.1 The Army named it Operation Polo, and it became known as the Police Action.1

Regani says the main force moved along the road from Solapur to Hyderabad, 186 miles.1 A second division came along the road from Vijayawada.1 Smaller columns crossed from Ahmednagar, the Central Provinces and Mysore.1 She writes that the Hyderabad forces resisted firmly only for the first two days.1 On 17 September the Nizam ordered a ceasefire.5 On the morning of 18 September Chaudhuri entered Hyderabad city and took charge as Military Governor.5

Military Governor, 1948–1949

The new government’s report on the administration of the state describes the set-up.2 The Military Governor headed the government.2 He was helped by a cabinet of five members, all nominated by the Ministry of States in Delhi.26 The book Hyderabad Reborn, the government’s account of its first six months, names its members.7 They included two Indian Civil Service officers, D. S. Bakhle and D. R. Pradhan.7 Two officers of the Hyderabad service, Nawab Zain Yar Jung and Raja Dhondiraj, also joined.78

According to Hyderabad Reborn, Chaudhuri’s government ordered all arms to be surrendered.8 It disbanded the Razakars and other irregular forces and arrested their ringleaders.8 It ordered all government servants back to their posts.8 Officers from the Indian provinces were placed over the district administration.8 The Nizam had named an advisory committee on 17 September.9 On 17 October 1948 a new cabinet under the Military Governor took its place.8

The same book stresses that the Military Governor called his government secular.8 He told the people that the interests of Hindus and Muslims were not opposed.8 It also describes his tours of the districts and the crowds that met him.10 These are the government’s own words about itself.10

His government also fought the communist-led armed squads of the Telangana villages.113 The book Hyderabad Reborn reports that he compared the course of their activity to a fever chart, now high and now low.12

Handing over, 1949

On 1 December 1949 a Chief Minister, a member of the Indian Civil Service appointed by the Government of India, replaced the Military Governor.26 Regani names him as M. K. Vellodi.5 On 26 January 1950 Hyderabad became part of the Indian Union, with the Nizam as Rajpramukh (formal head of the state).13 The later story is told on the Movements page. See also Asaf Jahis and Mir Laik Ali.

Footnotes

  1. Regani, Highlights of the Freedom Movement, p. 233 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8

  2. Report on the Administration of Hyderabad State, September 1948 – March 1950 (1950), Introductory (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  3. Hyderabad Reborn (1949), p. 22 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2

  4. Sarojini Regani, Highlights of the Freedom Movement in Andhra Pradesh, p. 232 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2

  5. Regani, Highlights of the Freedom Movement, p. 234 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  6. The History of the Andhra Pradesh Police (1861–1961) (1961), p. 102 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2

  7. Hyderabad Reborn (Government of Hyderabad, 1949), list of “Members of Government during the period under review” (preliminary page) (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  8. Hyderabad Reborn (1949), p. 15 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8

  9. Hyderabad Reborn (1949), p. 14 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  10. Hyderabad Reborn (1949), p. 17 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2

  11. Hyderabad Reborn (1949), p. 21 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  12. Hyderabad Reborn (1949), p. 23 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  13. The History of the Andhra Pradesh Police (1961), p. 103 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

References

Sources (4)
  1. Sarojini Regani, Highlights of the Freedom Movement in Andhra Pradesh (opens in a new tab), Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, 1956, pp. 233–234. Cite-only; paraphrased. [All rights reserved (cited, not reproduced)]
  2. Director of Information, Government of Hyderabad, Hyderabad Reborn: First Six Months of Freedom (September 18, 1948 - March 17, 1949) (opens in a new tab), Government of Hyderabad, 1949, list of members of government, 14–17, 21–23. Public domain in India; paraphrased. [Public domain in India]
  3. Government of Hyderabad, Report on the Administration of Hyderabad State, September 1948 - March 1950 (opens in a new tab), Government of Hyderabad, 1950, Introductory. Public domain in India; paraphrased. [Public domain in India]
  4. Inspector-General of Police, Andhra Pradesh, The History of the Andhra Pradesh Police (1861-1961) (opens in a new tab), Government of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, 1961, pp. 102–103. Public domain in India; paraphrased. [Public domain in India]

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