177
borrowing, and his Private Secretary had to find
the money. As time went on, the Maharaja's
affairs, instead of being straightened out, became
more and more involved. He had not the strength
of mind to make a firm decision and adhere to it.
His generous heart was always in the way, and his
amiable qualities only served to make him weak.
Years as they passed taught him to live the
unostentatious life of an ordinary gentleman —but
his expenditure was not reduced and his debt
remained unpaid.
In 1926 when certain changes, with a view to
reform in the administration, became necessary,
it was a matter of primary importance to change
the personnel of the Executive Council. This
meant the selection of a suitable person as Pres-
ident, but the matter was a somewhat difficult one.
The alternatives were : either to import a man
from British India or to choose one from
amongst the nobles of Hyderabad. Besides bear-
ing in mind the risk involved in having an outsider
whose principles and political sympathies could
not be known beforehand, we had to recall the
Viceroy's advice, that it would be well to select
one of the nobles of Hyderabad, if possible. The
names that suggested themselves, chiefly on the
ground of previous service as Prime Minister,
were those of Maharaja Sir Kishen Pershad and
Nawab Salar Jung Bahadur. But His Exalted
Highness was not disposed to nominate Nawab
Salar Jung. So the claim of Maharaja Sir Kishen
Pershad could not well be overlooked, and I
12