Published Paper Details:

The integration of Hyderabad State into the Indian Union in September 1948 represents one of the most decisive episodes in the consolidation of post-colonial India. Unlike many princely states that acceded peacefully, Hyderabad's ruler sought independence, creating constitutional uncertainty, diplomatic tension, communal unrest, and military confrontation. The Government of India ultimately launched a military intervention, code-named Operation Polo, resulting in Hyderabad's accession. This paper examines the historical background of Hyderabad State, the socio-political contradictions under the Nizam's rule, the role of the Razakars, the Telangana peasant rebellion, diplomatic negotiations, military intervention, and post-liberation administrative and socio-economic challenges. The study argues that the liberation was not merely a military action but a complex state-building process that reshaped federal politics and regional identity in South India.