The Indian Government's 1948 military action to integrate Hyderabad State was code-named:

"Operation Polo" was the code name of the Indian military action, from 13 to 18 September 1948, that led to the integration of the princely state of Hyderabad into the Indian Union. It is also called the "Police Action".

Background:

• At independence, Hyderabad was the largest and richest princely state, ruled by the Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan.
• The Nizam wanted Hyderabad to remain independent and refused to join India.
• In November 1947, India and Hyderabad signed a "Standstill Agreement" for one year.
• Meanwhile, a militia called the "Razakars", led by Qasim Razvi of the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, committed violence against the people, especially those who wanted to join India.
• In Telangana, there was also an armed peasant uprising (1946-1951) against the feudal landlords.

The operation:

• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Home Minister, decided on military action.
• The Indian Army moved into Hyderabad on 13 September 1948, under Major General Jayanto Nath Chaudhuri.
• The Hyderabad State forces and the Razakars were defeated within about four days.

On 17 September 1948, the Nizam announced a ceasefire and surrendered. He later became the "Rajpramukh" (constitutional head) of Hyderabad State.

Major General J. N. Chaudhuri became the Military Governor of Hyderabad.

The name "Polo" was chosen because Hyderabad had a large number of polo grounds.

17 September is observed as "Hyderabad Liberation Day" by the central government and as "Praja Palana Dinotsavam" (People's Governance Day) by the Telangana government.

Other code-named operations:

Operation Vijay (1961): the liberation of Goa, Daman and Diu from Portugal. The name was also used for the Kargil War operation (1999).

Operation Blue Star (1984): to remove militants from the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

Operation Gibraltar (1965): Pakistan's plan to send infiltrators into Jammu and Kashmir.

Operation Meghdoot (1984): to secure the Siachen Glacier.

Operation Sindoor (2025): India's strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Operation Vijay liberated Goa (1961).
• ✗Operation Blue Star was conducted at the Golden Temple (1984).
• ✗Operation Gibraltar was a Pakistani operation in Kashmir (1965).