Tando Qaiser facts for kids

Tando Qaiser (Sindhi: ٽنڊو قيصر) is a town in Hyderabad District, Pakistan. It's named after Qaiser Khan Nizamani, a leader from the 1700s. He started the town after his son, Ghulam Ali Nizamani, passed away there. Qaiser Khan and his group were traveling north when this sad event happened. The word "Tando" means 'fortified settlement'. This shows that the original place Qaiser Khan built was a strong, protected area.

History of Tando Qaiser

Qaiser Khan was related to Nizamuddin Rind, a famous person from Dera Ghazi Khan. Qaiser Khan belonged to the Nizamani tribe, which is a part of the larger Rind group. This tribe is now found in parts of Southern Punjab and Sindh.

How Tando Qaiser Was Founded

Around 1750, Qaiser Khan came to Sindh with his soldiers. He joined the army of the Kalhora kings, who ruled Sindh at that time. The Talpur tribe, another strong group, had invited him. The Talpurs were already important leaders in the Kalhora army.

Later, around 1780, the Talpur chief, Fateh Ali, took over from the Kalhora kings. Qaiser Khan and his Nizamani soldiers helped him, along with other Baloch leaders.

However, Qaiser Khan and Fateh Ali did not stay allies for long. For different reasons, Qaiser Khan decided to go back to Dera Ghazi Khan. On his way, around 1790, his son Ghulam Ali became sick and died near where Tando Qaiser is today. Qaiser Khan, who was over 70 years old, was very sad. He decided to stop his journey and settle near his son's burial place. The words carved on Ghulam Ali's grave show Qaiser's sorrow. They roughly mean, 'I stand sorrowful at the death of my son'. Qaiser Khan made his new settlement strong, and it grew into the famous town of Tando Qaiser.

Tando Qaiser and the British Era

Around 1843, the British East India Company invaded Sindh. This led to important battles like Miani and Dabo. At this time, Tando Qaiser was a busy town led by Qaiser's great-grandsons, Ghulam Ali and Ghulam Hussain. Ghulam Hussain was killed, and Ghulam Ali was hurt in the Battle of Miani. Both fought bravely against the British army led by General Charles Napier. Many other men from Tando Qaiser also died or were wounded in these battles.

After these battles, the British took control of Sindh. The power of the Baloch tribes in Sindh ended. The British favored those who supported them, giving them titles and land. The Hindu community in Tando Qaiser especially grew wealthy and important. They became very successful in business and trade. For example, they sold Mangoes from Tando Qaiser in the markets of Mumbai. In the early 1900s, they also built a cotton factory in Tando Qaiser. But when Pakistan became independent in 1947, they left Tando Qaiser. Their factory was sold, and industrial growth in the town stopped.

Education and Learning

The opening of the Agriculture College, and later Sindh Agriculture University, in Tando Jam greatly changed Tando Qaiser. Many young people from the town went to this university. Most of them were from the Nizamani, Khaskheli, and Dayo communities, but others like Khore and Qaboolani youths also graduated.

Tando Qaiser has a high literacy rate, meaning many people can read and write. A large number of graduates have studied in different fields. These include agriculture, medicine, engineering, business, information technology, and education.

Some educated people from Tando Qaiser have moved to other countries. These include Australia, Sweden, the UK, the USA, and Canada.

Where People Live in Tando Qaiser

Tando Qaiser has more than 25,000 people. Because of this, the town is divided into several neighborhoods. These are called paro in Sindhi. They are often named after the families or groups living there. Some of these neighborhoods include:

• Hamazani Paro
• Bakhrani Paro
• Baqanee Paro
• Qaisrani Paro
• Khairani Paro
• Khaskhaylee Paro
• Koree Paro
• Kumbhar Paro
• Lohar Paro
• Nazrani Paro
• Roshan Shah Paro
• Juman Nizamani colony
• Mushtaq colony
• Khor Paro
• Qasim Colony
• Shafi Colony
• Maka Colony
• Noor Ahmed Colony
• Potho colony

Today, people from Tando Qaiser live in many different parts of Pakistan. Some also live abroad, in places like the Middle East, Far East Asia, Europe, Australia, Canada, and the United States.

Economy and Jobs

The main part of Tando Qaiser's economy is farming. The town is surrounded by green farms with mango, guava, and jujube (a type of fruit) trees. The mangoes, guavas, and jujubes from Tando Qaiser are very famous. They are sold all over Pakistan and also sent to other countries. Many people in the town work in growing, harvesting, and selling these fruits.

Workers in construction, plumbing, and agriculture in Tando Qaiser earn higher wages. This is because people in the town have more money to spend.

Local businesses and trade are also a big part of the town's economy. These businesses provide good ways for people to earn money. The well-known Tando Qaiser 'bazaar' (market) is a very important place for local trade and income.

Notable People from Tando Qaiser

Kadir Bux Kaiserani

Kadir Bux Kaiserani left Tando Qaiser at age 16 in 1930 to go to the Soviet Union. He became the first Nizamani from Tando Qaiser to get a Western education. When he returned to India in 1933, he became active in the Indian independence movement. He was also a leader of the Sindh branch of the Indian Communist party and helped start the Hari Movement in Sindh. He wrote the first history of the Battle of Miani in Sindhi. He also translated an English travel book about Sindh into Sindhi.

Abdul Qadir Kaiserani

Abdul Qadir Kaiserani moved from Tando Qaiser to Karachi in the 1940s. He got an education and became a famous journalist. He was the head of Pakistan News Agency during the time of General Zia.

Kaiser Khan Nizamani (Actor)

Kaiser Khan Nizamani is a well-known actor, producer, and director. He received the Pride of Performance award in 2018, which is a very high award from Pakistan. He was also one of the first people to start making private drama shows on a large commercial scale. He also has a law degree (LLB) and works as a lawyer.