Mirza Ali Yar Khan, Nawab Ali Yawar Jung, was born on 16th February, 1906 at Hyderabad. He came irom a distinguished family of scholars and administrators. He lost his parents at an early age in 1921. His mother Tyeba Begum was a great lady and the only daughter of the famous Nawab Imad-ul-Mulk. His father Nawab Khedive Jung was a well known medical practitioner in Hyderabad.

Nawab Saheb was educated at Madrasa-i-Aliya and Nizam College. In 1922 he went to England on a State scholarship for higher studies. In 1926 he graduated with Honours in Modern History from Queen’s College, Oxford. From 1926 to 1927 he studied in Paris. On his return to Hyderabad he was appointed Lecturer in History at Osmania University. In 1935, he joined Nizam’s Government service and was appointed as the Director of Information. From 1936 to 1942 Nawab Saheb held several important posts in the Hyderabad Government and eventually became a Minister. He was appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of the Osmania University from 1945 to 1946 and again from 1948 to 1952.

Nawab Saheb represented India frequently at the United Nations. He was one of the most distinguished Indian diplomats of his generation. He served as Indian Ambassador to Argentina 1952-54, Egypt 1954-58, Yugoslavia 1958-61, France 1961-65 and the U.S.A. 1968-70. From 1965-66 he served as the Vice—Chancellor of the Aligath University. He was the Governor of Maharashtra from 1970-76.

Nawab Saheb died at Raj Bhavan, Bombay on 11th December, 1976. He was awarded Padma Bhushan in 1956 and Padma Vibhushan in 1977 (Posthumously). Nawab Saheb will always be remembered by the people of India, particularly Hyderabad, as an able administrator and educationist, a great statesman and above all a thorough gentleman.