 "History Today: How Hyderabad was merged with India after 'Operation Polo'")
September 17 is an important day in Indian history as the princely state of Hyderabad was formally integrated into India on this day in 1948. This event marked the end of the Nizam’s rule and the closing of a tense chapter in the post-independence era.
On this day in 1978, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin signed the Camp David Accords. This laid the groundwork for the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty, signed the following year.
Here is all that happened on this day.
Hyderabad merged with India
The princely state of Hyderabad was integrated into the Indian Union, following the successful ‘Operation Polo’. This effectively marked the end of the Nizam’s rule in the state as well as the closing of a tense chapter in post-independence history.
At the time of India’s independence in 1947, Hyderabad was the largest princely state, ruled by Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan, who resisted joining either India or Pakistan. The Nizam sought independence, relying on his private militia, the Razakars, to suppress dissent and maintain control.
Tensions escalated as communal violence spread and Hyderabad’s refusal to accede threatened stability in southern India. Negotiations failed, and the Indian government, led by Deputy Prime Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, authorised Operation Polo, a swift military action to bring Hyderabad under Indian authority.
On September 13, 1948, Indian forces entered Hyderabad. After just five days of combat, the Nizam’s forces surrendered on September 17. The operation cost several hundred lives but prevented what many feared would become a prolonged conflict. The Nizam subsequently signed the Instrument of Accession, accepting Hyderabad’s merger into India.
Israel and Egypt signed the Camp David Accords
On this day in 1978, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin signed the Camp David Accords. The agreement, mediated by US President Jimmy Carter, reshaped diplomacy in West Asia.
The talks came after decades of hostility, marked by the Yom Kippur War of 1973, in which Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israel. While fighting ended in a stalemate, it underscored the need for a lasting peace. In 1977, Sadat made a historic visit to Jerusalem, breaking long-standing taboos and opening the door to negotiations.
The Camp David discussions were gruelling, with Carter personally mediating to overcome deep divisions. Finally, two frameworks were agreed upon. The first laid out a path to Palestinian autonomy in the West Bank and Gaza, though its implementation remained contentious. The second provided the basis for peace between Egypt and Israel: Israel agreed to withdraw from the Sinai Peninsula, occupied since 1967, while Egypt became the first Arab nation to formally recognise Israel.
The accords were hailed as a breakthrough, earning Sadat and Begin the Nobel Peace Prize later that year. They paved the way for the Egypt–Israel Peace Treaty of 1979, which remains in effect to this day.
This Day, That Year
In 1991, North Korea and South Korea were admitted to the United Nations.
On this day in 1926, Mexican artist Frida Kahlo was severely injured in a bus accident leading to her taking up art.
The US Constitution was signed by 39 delegates of the Constitutional Convention in 1787.
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