Safdarjung

Safdar Jung (Hindi: सफ़्दरजंग, Urdu: صفدرجنگ‎) (b. c. 1708 – d. 5 October 1754), was the Subadar Nawab of Oudh (the ruler of the Indian state of Oudh, also known as Awadh) from 19 March 1739 to 5 October 1754. He was a descendant of Qara Yusuf from the Kara Koyunlu.

Biography

In 1739 he succeeded his father-in-law and maternal uncle, the Burhan ul Mulk Saadat Ali Khan I to the throne of Oudh, apparently by paying Nadir Shah twenty million rupees. The Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah gave him the title of "Safdarjung".

Safdarjung was an able administrator. He was not only effective in keeping control of Oudh, but also managed to render valuable assistance to the weakened Muhammad Shah. He was soon given governorship of Kashmir as well, and became a central figure at the Delhi court. During the later years of Muhammad Shah, he gained complete control of administration in the Mughal Empire. When Ahmad Shah Bahadur ascended the throne at Delhi in 1748, Safdarjung became his Wazir ul-Mamalik-i-Hindustan or Chief Minister of Hindustan. He was also made the governor of Ajmer and became the "Faujdar" of Narnaul. However, court politics eventually overtook him and he was dismissed in 1753. He returned to Oudh in December 1753, and made Faizabad military headquarter. He died in October 1755 at the age of 46 years in Sultanpur near Faizabad.

Safdarjung (Delhi)

Safdarjung area consists of mainly two localities in South Delhi, namely Safdarjung Enclave and Safdarjung Development Area (SDA). There are several districts (called colonies) in Delhi located south to the tomb of Safdarjung, the second Nawab of Awadh, and an important administrator in the Mughal Imperial courts in Delhi, under Muhammad Shah in the 18th century.

Safdarjung Enclave

Safdarjung Enclave, developed by the Delhi Lease and Finance later DLF Limited after acquiring the farm lands from Humayunpur Village in the early 1960s under then Prime Minister Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru. is located just south of the Ring Road and north of the Hauz Khas Deer Park. South of Hauz Khas village is Safdarjung Development Area (SDA), built in the 1960s as an extension south. Both colonies are primarily residential, and are bases for the affluent upper class. Safdarjung Enclave has different block such as A-1, A-2, B-1,2,3,4,5,6 and 7. Safdarjung Enclave from the east to west starts just after AIIMS Trauma Centre and ends before Bhikaji Kama Place on the inner ring road. From North to south it starts from Bhikaji Kama Place up to DLTA stadium and District Park. Krishna Nagar, Arjun Nagar and Humayun Pur also situated in the Safdarjung Enclave Delhi.