Najimuddin Ali Khan

Who was Najimuddin Ali Khan?

Najimuddin Ali Khan, better known as Najim-ud-Daulah, was the Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa from 1765 to 1766. He was the second son of Mir Jafar.

Najam-ud-Daulah was crowned as the Nawab following the death of his father Mir Jafar. During his coronation he was only 15 years old. He ascended to the throne on February 5, 1765.

In 1765 after the victory in the Battle of Buxar the British had formally gained Dewani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa from Shah Alam II. The Nawab formally conferred this Dewani to the British on September 30, 1765.

Najimuddin died soon afterwards, on May 8, 1766, apparently from a fever caught at a formal party given at Murshidabad fort in honour of Robert Clive. He was buried at Jafraganj Cemetery and was succeeded by his younger brother Nawab Nazim Najabut Ali Khan.