The Nawab represents the eldest or the main branch of the ‘Shish Mahal’ family. His family’s original residences were in the area around the present Lucknow Charbagh Station that extended towards Kanpur but shifted to ‘Shish Mahal’ in 1860s when the Railway line was ordered to be laid by the East India Company. Since then the family has been known as the ‘Shish Mahal’ family. This family is one of the families of Awadh who still has the hereditary title of ‘Nawab’ and who also had a permanent seat in the Durbar of the ex-royal families.
Ibrahim Ali Khan s/o Safdar Ali Khan s/o Haider Ali Khan s/o Sadiq Ali Khan s/o Baqir Ali Khan s/o Amjad Ali Khan ‘Ashruf ud Doulah’ s/o Ahmad Ali Khan ‘Munawwar ud Doulah’ is registered with the British Indian Association, Anjuman- e Hind, as the Taluqdar of Kunwah Khera, District Sitapur.
He descends from Syed Ibrahim, one of the sons of Imam Moosi-e Kazim (A.S.), the 7th Imam. Initially, this family arrived in India with the conquest of Humayun over Sher Shah Suri in 1554. His paternal great-grandmother descended from Mir Mohammad Amin, Nawab S’adat Khan, Burhan ul Mulk; one of his ancestress descended from Shah Abbas Safavi, Shah of Persia. His ancestor, Nawab Ahmad Ali Khan ‘Munawwar ud Doulah’, was Prime Minister to two Kings: King Mohammad Ali Shah and King Amjad Ali Shah, without taking any salary; he was also the son in law of King Mohammad Ali Shah. Before him, Nawab Ahmad Ali Khan’s uncle, Nawab Mehdi Ali Khan ‘Muntazim ud Doulah’ alias Hakim Mehdi was also Prime Minister to King Nasir ud din Haider and King Mohammad Ali Shah. His grandmother was the grand-daugter of H. H. Nawab Saeed Ali Khan, the Nawab of Rampur, his mother is the niece of Mir Yousuf Ali Khan, Sir Salar Jung 3rd of Hyderabad, world famous for his Sir Salar Jung Museum of Antiques; his maternal uncle, Nawab Kazim Nawaz Jung alias Ali Pasha, was the son in law of Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam of Hyderabad.
Founder LUCKNOW Society has the priviledge to visit the ‘Shish Mahal’ & admire rare collections ( paintings / lithographs / artefacts / etc ) of the Nawab. LUCKNOW Society salutes Nawab Ibrahim Ali Khan Shish Mahal as being the living legend & for preserving & promoting the rich Heritage and Culture of Lucknow !