Sir,

I remembered Sir Mirza Ismail, the renowned Dewan of Mysore, about whom I had written in my column [Down The Memory Lane’ in Nov. 2010] while reading KBG’s Abracadabra in SOM dated July 2 and thought it is worth reproducing a para as to how much Mirza liked his Mysore, describing it in a Radio Broadcast in 1938:

“… Wash themselves with Mysore soap, Dry themselves with Mysore towels (product of KR Mills), Clothe themselves in Mysore Silks, Ride Mysore horses, Eat the abundant Mysore food, Drink Mysore coffee with Mysore sugar, Build their houses with Mysore cement, Mysore timber, Mysore steal, Furnish their houses with Mysore lamps and Write letters on Mysore paper.”

To add to this, a senior personnel from State Bank of Mysore, who met me to collect some material with photos for their Bank’s Centenary Souvenir, remarked, “Sir, we would like to end this with ‘bank’ with Mysore Bank and publish Mirza’s speech in our souvenir.” This made me add one more to the Mysore list: Study in Mysore University.

If Star of Mysore and Mysooru Mithra were being published during his time, Sir Mirza would have added them to his list of Mysore products.

Yes, “Mysore was breathed by Sir Mirza Ismail,” the title I had given to my column.

—K. Vijayakumar, Former Jt. Director of Information & Publicity

V V Mohalla

3.7.2014

source: Voice of the Reader Section / source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Voice of the Reader  / July 04th, 2014

This is in response to the story. See Post of July 07th, 2014 in www.mpositive.com

http://www.mpositive.in/2014/07/07/remembering-sir-mirza-ismail/

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SIR MIRZA ISMAIL’S FAMOUS GRAND-FATHER

Sir,

While pondering over the absence of ‘Mirza Ismail Road’ in Mysore (Abracadabra, SOM dated July 2), what spontaneously springs to one’s mind is the much-prized ‘Ali Askar Road’ (off Cunningham Road) in downtown Bangalore.

This road is named after Sir Mirza’s grand-father Ali Askar, who was a prominent trader in Arabian horses and Persian carpets, and an influential public figure, with close links to Mummadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar as well as Sir Mark Cubbon. Ali Askar was originally from Persia and found asylum in the court of Mummadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar as a trainer of cavalry and supplier of horses, after fleeing from persecution under Sultan Ahmad Shah of Iran in 1824.

Apart from Sir Mirza, many of Ali Askar’s descendants became well-known figures in business and administration and it is possible that ‘Agha Abbas Ali Road’ and ‘Agha Abdullah Street’ in Bangalore are named after some of these descendants.

While feeling proud on seeing a premier road in Jaipur named after Sir Mirza (it is popularly recognised as M.I. Road, just like M.G. Road in Bangalore), Mysoreans feel proud also of the munificence of the rulers of Mysore in giving the name of a visiting king — Sayyaji Rao Gaekwad III — to a trunk road in their own legendary city.

— S. G. Seetharam

Gita Road, Mysore

8.7.2014

source: Voice of the Reader Section / source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Voice of the Reader  / July 13th, 2014

This is in response to the story. See Post of July 07th, 2014 in www.mpositive.com

http://www.mpositive.in/2014/07/07/remembering-sir-mirza-ismail/