HYDERABAD: As Hyderabad celebrated the platinum jubilee of the Salar Jung Museum on Sunday, the occasion served as a reminder that the city’s identity is shaped as much by its rich cultural heritage and collective memory as by its aspirations for the future. The celebrations also coincided with the 137th birth anniversary of Nawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan, Salar Jung III, whose extraordinary collection laid the foundation for one of India’s most renowned museums.
Addressing the platinum jubilee celebrations, Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla described the Salar Jung Museum as an inseparable part of Hyderabad’s identity and a living testament to Telangana’s historical and cultural legacy. Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, who also attended the event, said some institutions are built by cities, while others help build the very soul of a city, adding that the Salar Jung Museum reflects the spirit of Hyderabad.
The Deputy Chief Minister said the Salar Jung Museum would become the cultural crown of the rejuvenated Musi Riverfront. Plans are being prepared to create a seamless heritage tourism experience, enabling visitors to travel along the river, walk through historic neighbourhoods and explore the city’s rich cultural assets.
Bhatti said Hyderabad has never chosen between history and the future, but has embraced both simultaneously. Alongside iconic landmarks such as Charminar and Golconda Fort, the city has emerged as a global hub for information technology, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and emerging sectors such as quantum computing, he said.
As part of efforts to strengthen heritage tourism, the government plans to link the museum with Charminar, Golconda Fort, the Qutb Shahi Tombs, Chowmahalla Palace and Falaknuma Palace through an Old City Heritage Circuit. Improved transport connectivity, night tourism initiatives and guided heritage walks in Telugu, Urdu, Hindi and English are also being planned.
Paying tribute to Salar Jung III, Bhatti said preserving 43,000 artefacts from across the world was not merely an act of collection but a demonstration of his deep devotion to art and culture. While people often misplace everyday belongings, Salar Jung III safeguarded entire civilisations and made those treasures accessible to the public, he remarked.
Governor Shukla said Hyderabad’s history has been shaped by cultural synthesis and civilisational dialogue, where Persian, Telugu, Deccani, Mughal, Hindu and Islamic traditions flourished together. The museum, he said, embodies this spirit by bringing together the artistic and cultural achievements of diverse civilisations under one roof.
Highlighting the institution’s role in promoting communal harmony, Bhatti noted that Hindu bronze idols, rare copies of the Holy Quran, Christian sculptures and Buddhist artefacts are displayed together in the museum. He described it as more than a symbol of religious tolerance, calling it a living example of secularism and the Deccan’s famed Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb.
Governor Shukla urged museum authorities to strengthen digitisation efforts, research fellowships and collaborations with universities and educational institutions. He said modernisation would make the institution more relevant and accessible to younger generations while preserving its historical significance.
The museum will organise a series of events until June 21 as part of its platinum jubilee celebrations.
