Mohammad Usman of Madras

Who was Mohammad Usman of Madras?

Khan Bahadur Sir Mohammad Usman, KCSI, KCIE, Kt was an Indian politician, hakim and socialite who served as the Minister of Home for the Madras Presidency in the Justice Party government of the Raja of Bobbili and as the acting Governor of Madras from May 16, 1934 to August 16, 1934. His name is often also spelled Muhammad Usman.

Usman was born in an aristocratic family of Tanjore in Madras Presidency in 1884. He graduated from Madras Christian College and joined the Justice Party. He was elected to the Madras Legislative Council and later, to the Governor's executive council. He served as the Minister of Home in the Raja of Bobbili's cabinet and acted as the Governor of Madras between May 16, 1934 and August 16, 1934. Usman was the first Indian to act as the Governor of Madras. Usman served as the member of posts and air in the Viceroy's Executive Council between 1942 and 1947. Usman died in 1960 at the age of 76.

Usman was a part-time hakim or doctor in Unani medicine and used his influential position in the provincial administration to promote indigenous systems of medicine.

In person, Usman was both tall and very heavy. He was once described by V. S. Srinivasa Sastri as having a "magnificent frame", and Sastri's biographer says he was "of gargantuan size".