
HYDERABAD: Glimpses of the seventh and last Nizam laying the foundation stone for what could be touted as one of the best universities in the country, is on display at the Nizam’s Museum in the Old City’s Purani Haveli. The exhibition of rare photographs from the personal collection of Mir Osman Ali Khan, presented to him during the silver jubilee celebrations marking the prosperity of Hyderabad State in 1937 was inaugurated on Wednesday, June 5 as part of the centenary celebrations of Osmania University.
“While the photos are from the Nizam’s personal collection, State Archives and Research Institute (SARI), Telangana State has all the documents of the university archived.
It was started after the affiliation of educational institutions to Punjab University was suddenly cut off in 1907. In fact, the proposal for the new university for higher education was taken up on priority,” said Dr. Zareena Parveen, Director of the Institute. It was also the first university in the country to be established with the medium of instruction to be an Indian language, that too Urdu against the subtle but sustained opposition from the British. Also, teaching English was compulsory.
A miniature model of the university was made in pure silver, which too is on display at the museum.“Urdu was the most spoken language in the state then. Irrespective of their religion or gender, people spoke Urdu and that was the main reason why it was chosen as the medium of instruction,” said Parveen. A citation of Dr BR Ambedkar meeting the Nizam in a 1931 was also displayed.