Marathwada Liberation Day in Maharashtra Date in the current year: September 17, 2024

In August 1947, the British Raj received independence from the United Kingdom and was divided into two states, the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India. Semi-sovereign princely states that were governed by local rulers but were de facto under British control were given the option to join either India or Pakistan.

Mir Osman Ali Khan, the Nizam (ruler) of Hyderabad, did not want to join either one of them and hoped that his state could achieve sovereignty either as an independent monarchy or as a protectorate of the British Empire. However, the British government refused to grant Hyderabad any kind of sovereignty.

The majority of Hyderabad’s residents were Hindu and wanted to join India. However, the Nizam was Muslim, so he was reluctant to make such a decision. He even went as far as allowing to create a private militia called the Razakars, tasked with upholding Islamic domination in the state and quelling any hint of Hindu rebellion.

Ultimately, the negotiations between India and Hyderabad fell through, and India began a military operation against Hyderabad code-named Operation Polo. On September 13, 1948, Indian troops invaded Hyderabad. On September 17, the Nizam’s army surrendered, and the state of Hyderabad was incorporated into the Union of India. Today, its territory is divided between the states of Telangana, Karnataka and Maharashtra.

In Maharashtra, the anniversary of Operation Polo is celebrated as Marathwada Liberation Day, because the Marathwada region of Maharashtra used to be part of Hyderabad. The celebration includes a flag hoisting ceremony and various cultural events. Many Muslim residents of the state don’t celebrate it because they they associate the holiday with discrimination of the Muslim minority after the annexation.