OPERATION POLO played an important role in Indian History-Puri
Jaswant Singh Puri/ September 17,2025
Operation Polo was a strong military action by the newly independent Republic of India from September 13 to September 17, 1948 to integrate the princely state of Hyderabad into the Indian Union. Often called a “police action”, it lasted just five days but had profound political, social, and historical consequences. The operation concluded with the end of Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan’s rule in Hyderabad, who was one of the richest men in the world at the time and wished to remain independent. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Deputy Prime Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel considered Hyderabad’s independence unacceptable for the sake of India’s unity and security.
The Indian Army launched ‘Operation Polo’ under the command of Major General J.N. Chaudhuri with an involvement of 36,000 Indian troops into Hyderabad, facing about 24,000 Hyderabad troops and 2000-3000 Razakars, a pro-Nizam group, led by the firebrand Qasim Razvi – who terrorised the Hindu population. The operation lasted just five days from September 13, 1948 to September 17, 1948. The Indian forces overwhelmed the Nizam’s forces and the Razakars. The Nizam surrendered on September 17, 1948. Hyderabad was officially integrated into the Indian Union. The Nizam was initially appointed as Rajpramukh (Governor) of the state, but it was sans any political power, just a ceremonial head. It was a critical step in accomplishing the political integration of India and Patel’s role earned him the reputation as the “Iron Man of India”. With the surrender by the Commander of the Nizam’s forces, Syed Ahmed El-Edroos, Hyderabad became a part of India. Sardar Patel had said blatantly that an Independent Hyderabad would be a “cancer in the belly of India”.
17th September is an important day in this respect that Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday falls on this day (Born 17 September 1950). Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address, honoured Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s crucial role in Hydrabad liberation from Nizam’s rule, emphasising its significance in unifying India after independence. People were saved from the atrocities inflicted by Razakars.
Note: The views expressed by the writer are personal.
