Pickthall’s Islamic Politics 127
structure of an independent India. Pickthall was to be very discreet of his role
at this “First Round Table Conference”, though he must have been privy to the
confidential discussions:
In the case of advisors, the limitations of space make it necessary to re-
strict the number of secretaries present at the meetings of the Confer-
ence and its Committees, in this case to three. It is understood that the
following have been deputed as secretaries
Mr. k.m. panniker
Mr. m. pickthall
Mr. n.s. sabha rao^77Pickthall appears to have irked the Conference organisers, because the of-
ficial records refer to him in surprisingly intemperate terms, “the reports of
the doings of the Hyderabad Delegation by their Secretary, that fatuous crea-
ture Marmaduke Pickthall, were so bad that one couldn’t follow their work at
all [...]”.78
During his stay in London, Pickthall characteristically resumed contact with
the Muslim community and also provided advice on the mosque projects. He
was keen to ensure that the funds for a mosque in the East End were retained
separately from the “Nizam’s Mosque Fund”, so that there would be “a memo-
rial to the late Mr. Sayyid Ameer Ali”.79
The Nizam and Sir Akbar Hydari had other plans for Pickthall on his return.
These required sanction from the Political Resident, who in turn referred the
matter to Delhi in July, 1931:
Pickthall’s term of appointment as Principal, Government High School,
Hyderabad, will expire on the 6 January, 1932, and the Nizam’s Govern-
ment have written to ask for permission for the extension of his services
for a further period of three years at the end of which the matter could
be further considered. It may be mentioned that the Nizam’s Govern-
ment propose to establish a Publicity Bureau in the Hyderabad State and
that an article has appeared in the Mushir-i-Deccan of Hyderabad of the77 ior, L/P&S/13/602, 340.
78 ior, File No. 169-P/Sec of 1931. Foreign and Political Department Notes. Serial Nos. 1–7, 1.
79 ELMT/CR/0002; Pickthall’s letter to Mr. S.M. Anik, 17 February 1931. Pickthall also men-
tions that he was sent off at Victoria Station by Khalid Sheldrake, prominent in British
Muslim activities.