Hyderabad House in New Delhi remains a visible reminder of the wealth and tastes of Mir Osman Ali Khan, the Nizam of Hyderabad. Designed by Edwin Lutyens and completed in the 1920s, the building fuses European and Mughal design elements and sits on about 8.2 acres close to India Gate.
Built at an original outlay of £200,000 (often put at roughly Rs 170 crore in today’s terms), the palace was the Nizam’s city residence in the capital. The complex contains 36 rooms and a series of courtyards, arched passages, sweeping staircases, fireplaces and ornamental fountains that reflect the ruler’s preferences. Lutyens employed his characteristic “butterfly” plan: a central dome with symmetric wings stretching out at roughly a 55-degree angle. Visitors note the striking rhombic marble patterning in the circular foyer and the first-floor corridor. The building even included a dining hall intended to seat as many as 500 guests.
A distinctive internal element was the zenana, the women’s quarter, organized as a circular court ringed by small rooms. Contemporary observers such as Lord Hardinge remarked on the compact size of those rooms and the presence of taps for hot and cold water but an absence of baths — an instance of traditional domestic arrangements meeting nascent modern plumbing.
After India’s independence, the property passed into government ownership. In 1974 it was designated as the state guest house for the Prime Minister and has since been used to host foreign leaders and official receptions. During Russian President Vladimir Putin’s two-day visit to India, Hyderabad House featured prominently in his schedule, staging meetings and formal receptions. Photographs from the visit captured President Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeting one another at the residence and images from the welcoming ceremony at Palam Air Base.
Hyderabad House today continues to serve both as an architectural landmark from the colonial and princely eras and as a ceremonial venue that links India’s historical legacy with its contemporary diplomatic life.
