Opposite a plush shopping mall, a sign reads Imam Khomeini Road. Located in the heart of Hyderabad, this road is named after the former supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who died in 1989.
Ayatollah Ali Khameini, who was killed earlier this month in a US-Israeli strike, was the second supreme leader of Iran. The Khomeini Road leads to Road No. 7, Banjara Hills, where Hyderabad’s Iranian consulate is located. “The road was named after the first supreme leader sometime in the early 1990s,” historian Mohammed Safiullah told The Indian Express.
Hyderabad city was founded in 1591 by Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah, the fifth Sultan of the Qutb Shahi dynasty of Golconda, who hailed from Iran. “He belonged to the Persian Shia Muslim Qutb Shahi dynasty that established the city,” historian and honorary managing trustee of The Deccan Heritage Trust, Mohammed Safiullah, told The Indian Express.
According to Safiullah, the Qutb Shahis were tribes from Iran. “The Bahmani Sultans granted them governorship of the Golconda area, after which they ruled the region,” he said. Hyderabad was founded in 1591 to decongest the rapidly growing Golconda region. The city’s name honours Caliph Ali, the fourth Rashidun Caliph of Sunni Muslims and first Imam of Shia Muslims, based on his title Hyder (The Lion) or Ali Haider (Ali the Lionheart), Safiullah said.
According to Safiullah, the Indo-Persian trade thrived with Hyderabad as the epicentre. “It should be noted that before 1947, before independence, India shared a border with Iran, fostering strong trade ties. Persian traders and locals used the sea route from Machilipatnam port (now in Andhra Pradesh) for commerce with Hyderabad,” Safiullah said.
During the Qutb Shahi reign, Golconda was the epicentre of the trade in diamonds, pearls, steel, arms, and printed fabrics.
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“All eight Qutb Shahi sultans patronised learning and were prolific builders, advancing Indo-Persian and Indo-Islamic literature and culture in Hyderabad,” Safiullah said. From Hyderabad’s Irani chai cafes to the breakfast delicacy haleem, relished during Ramzan, Iran has left a mark on the city’s cuisine. In areas such as Masab Tank and Mehedipatnam, early settlers from Iran now run iconic Irani cafes and bakeries, Safiullah said. Even the Old City of Hyderabad has a substantial Shia population with roots going back to Iran.
Speaking to The Indian Express, a descendant of Iranian origin and a Shia Mulsim who still has family in Hyderabad and Tehran said, “Hyderabad is home, but we were never asked by this city to forget our Iranian roots.” Living in Hyderabad’s Old City, he said, “You turn anywhere here, you will see a piece of Iran.”
Hyderabad’s Old City is designed by architects who modelled it on Iran’s Isfahan. Many of these original structures have stood the test of time, enduring for over 400 years. According to Safiullah, even Charminar was built by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah in 1591 CE to mark the second Islamic millennium (1000 AH), celebrated across the Islamic world. “Iran cannot be extricated from Hyderabad’s history,” Safiullah said.
To date, Hyderabad has public representatives who represent the Shia population too. “The protests against the assassination of Ali Khameini were held by both the Shia and the Sunni Muslims of Hyderabad, showing that the city has integrated various histories,” a person of Iranian descent who lives in Banjara Hills said.
Nikhila Henry is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. With a career spanning 17 years, she has established herself as an authoritative voice on South Indian affairs, specialising in the complex intersections of politics, education, and social justice.
Experience & Career: Nikhila commenced her journalism career in 2007 as an education correspondent for The Times of India in Hyderabad,where she gained recognition for her coverage of student politics. Her professional trajectory includes a four-year tenure at The Hindu, where she focused on minority affairs and social welfare. In 2019, she took on a leadership role as the South Bureau Chief for The Quint, where she directed regional coverage across all five South Indian states. Her expansive career also includes a tenure at the BBC in New Delhi and contributions to prestigious international outlets such as The Sunday Times (London) and HuffPost India.
Expertise & Focus Areas
Nikhila’s reportage is marked by a deep-seated understanding of grassroots movements and institutional policy. Her core focus areas include:
Regional Politics: Comprehensive analysis of the socio-political dynamics across South India.
Education & Student Movements: Chronicling the evolution of Indian academics and the rise of youth activism.
Minority Affairs: Rigorous reporting on the welfare, rights, and challenges facing marginalized communities.
National Beat: Elevating regional stories to national prominence through investigative and on-ground reporting.
Authoritativeness & Trust
A respected figure in Indian media, Nikhila is not only a seasoned reporter but also an accomplished author and editor. She authored the critically acclaimed book The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India and edited Caste is Not a Rumour, a collection of writings by Rohith Vemula. Her dual background in daily news reporting and long-form authorship allows her to provide readers with a nuanced, historically-informed perspective on contemporary Indian society.
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