Hyderabad, Sept. 16 -- Right from my childhood, I have read innumerable articles and heard stories about the "autocratic" regime of the Nizams, particularly, the Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam of Hyderabad.

Telugu films likeMaa Bhoomi, andChillara Devullu,which depicted the oppressive feudal system prevailing those days, have only lent credence to my impression about the Nizam rule.

My grandfather A Narasimha Rao had worked as a circle inspector in the excise department (Aabkari) under the Nizam rule, while my father A Seshagiri Rao was a hardcore Communist Party activist and an associate of poet-activist Maqdoom Mohiuddin. He fought against the feudal system prevailing during the Nizam regime.

I had no opportunity to know about th...