https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Metamorphosis of a City

This opinion piece/book review has been written by retired IAS officer BP Acharya
Indian Masterminds Stories

The metamorphosis of Hyderabad, originally founded in 1591 to ease the congestion and water scarcity in the existing Qutub Shahi capital of Golconda, into a global hub of technology and industry is a fascinating journey that recently published the book “Beyond Biryani“ by Dinesh C. Sharma (Westland),  tries to capture with absorbing details. For the author who is a Hyderabadi himself (now settled in Delhi), Hyderabad must be a place in his heart and hence, he tries to recount its story with all the affection and sensitivity, it deserves.

As the author recounts in the introductory chapter-

“This book is an attempt to capture the remarkable story of the rapid transformation of Hyderabad from what was, at best a proto-colonial city in a quasi-Mughal princely state until the 1940s, to a modern and vibrant metropolis. Fortunately, I have been a witness to almost the entire journey, either directly or through collective family memories. “

This is paradoxically the strength and weakness of the book, which is the result of painstaking research sponsored by the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund. While it affords a ring-side view to the author, at times it is vulnerable to personal predilections and prejudices which he tries to avoid diligently, of course. There is also the tendency to miss the woods for the trees and references to persons and their roles in shaping the destiny of the City over the centuries, which was undeniably significant in this case. Hyderabad was lucky to have successive ruling elite from the Qutub Shahi, Asaf Jahis, and post-independence period that were forward-looking and ably assisted by competent Ministers/bureaucrats who were able to execute their visions into reality.

In this regard, one cannot overemphasize the contributions of Hussain Shah Wali (who made Hussain Sagar a man-made water source in 1562, which became a trigger for Hyderabad 30 years later), Mir Momin Astrabadi the Persian Architect who designed Hyderabad, inspired by Isfahan in Iran, Salar Jungs I, II, III, Sir M Vishweshwariah who introduced modern town planning after the devastating Musi floods in 1908, Edward Lawrie, Ronald Ross and  Sherwani who introduced modern scientific temper and education system prodded by British Residents to address the needs of the place during World War I and subsequent period. Similarly,  in the 1990s, coinciding with the liberalization of the Indian economy and the advent of the IT/ ITES boom that pitchforked Hyderabad to the big league, it was lucky to have visionary political leadership that wanted to take advantage of the circumstances, ably assisted by several competent bureaucrats viz, R Chandrasekhar, Randeep Sudan, J Satyanarayana, Sheela Bhide, Jayesh Ranjan, and Arvind Kumar. Yours truly was also fortunate to contribute a bit in Cyberabad, Knowledge City at Raidurg, Financial Dist, HICC, and Life Science cluster at Genome Valley, which has been a labor of love for over two decades.

What is important about this book, is that it faithfully and meticulously records these milestones in the evolution of Hyderabad, laced with interesting sidelights and anecdotes, not widely known, which makes it eminently readable.  It is not a cumbersome and boring account of events and dates but the lively narrative of the concomitant processes that are analyzed with the academic rigor, that makes it unique. A case in point is the chapter on Osmania University, originally based on the Japanese model of vernacular education, which subsequently spawned several research institutions in its proximity, such as IICT, NIN, CCMB, CDFD, NGRI, IDPL which made it the epicenter of a modern science cluster,  which promoted  Pharma and  Biotech industry around Hyderabad in later years. It was almost a catalytic process that led one thing to another, or a “chain reaction”, as the author calls it, and Hyderabad was fortunate to be part of this unique unfolding of the cascading ecosystem.

The author also tries to allude to the cost of development in terms of its effects on heritage and ecology and devotes the penultimate chapter entitled “The price of development” and highlights the need to address these concerns, shared by many old Hyderabadis like himself who bemoan the decline of the syncretic Ganga Jamuni tehzeeb of the place and its old world, laid back charm. Luckily, all is not lost and Hyderabad, at least some part of it, continues to exude the aura of a traditional city with a modern face, which prompted the famous National Geographic journal to name the city as one of the 10 most attractive tourist destinations in 2015!

All in all, this book is indeed a unique effort to document the recent history of Hyderabad and trace its evolution over the last 4 centuries, which faithfully records the milestones and processes that make it what it is today. A must-read for lovers of urban development and modern history and of course,  those who cherish Hyderabad and its cultural heritage. Kudos to the author for this remarkable endeavor.

(Review by BP Acharya, IAS retd, former Special Chief Secretary)


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
grse mou
GRSE Signs Strategic MoU to Boost Indigenous Development of Advanced Naval Navigation Systems
Mazagon_Dock_Shipbuilders_Ltd_Organizes_Diwali_Mela_
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) Hosts Diwali Mela to Boost Vigilance Awareness and Empower Rural Self-Help Groups
NALCO_MOU_
NALCO Foundation Signs MoU to Boost Skill Development and Livelihood Opportunities for Rural Youth
Concor
Dividend Alert: CONCOR to Announce Q2 FY26 Financial Results and Second Interim Dividend on November 11
ircon and coal india
Coal India Partners with IRCON to Strengthen Rail Network for Seamless Coal Transportation
BEML_Joins_SCOPE_GIZ_Initiative
BEML Showcases Green Leadership at SCOPE-GIZ LeadIT Workshop on Industrial Decarbonisation
World Habitat Day 2025
World Habitat Day 2025: HUDCO's 30-Year Legacy Empowers Underprivileged Children Through Art
BEL and IREDA
BEL and IREDA Set to Announce Q2 FY26 Results in October; Investors Await Key Growth Updates
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IDES Saquib Alam
UPSC Strategy & Mindset Tips from IDES Officer Saquib Alam | Video Interview 
Dr G K Goswami IPS
Everything you ever wanted to know about e-murder, e-dacoity and data safety
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Ravikant Meena on IFS Preparation, Optionals, and Life in Forest Service
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Jitendra Baghel MPPSC
7 Years, 4 Interviews, Now Dy.SP: How Jitendra Baghel Cracked MPPSC Through Relentless Struggle
Jitendra Baghel’s inspiring journey from a humble farming background to MPPSC Dy.SP showcases relentless...
IDES Saquib Alam
UPSC Strategy & Mindset Tips from IDES Officer Saquib Alam | Video Interview 
Discover how IDES officer Saquib Alam left his corporate job at Mahindra, overcame six UPSC attempts,...
Utkarsh Ujjwal IAS
IAS Utkarsh Ujjwal Shares Key Advice for UPSC Aspirants: Work Ethic, Failure, and Focus
Read the inspiring journey of IAS Utkarsh Ujjwal, 2023 batch, Gujarat cadre. From IIT Guwahati to clearing...
Social Media
World Rhino Day India
On World Rhino Day, IFS Officer Parveen Kaswan Shares Rare Insights - India Now Hosts 80% of the World’s One-Horned Rhinos
September 22 Marks Global Call for Rhino Conservation; India Holds 80% of World’s Greater One-Horned...
Parag Madhukar Dhakate
Relentless Rains Wreak Havoc in Dehradun: IFS officer PM Dhakate Warns Citizens Amid Flash Floods
Cloudbursts in Dehradun triggered flash floods. IFS officer Dr. PM Dhakate warned citizens to stay indoors...
Forest Guard Tiger Encounter
Tigers Clash in the Wild as Forest Guards Capture Rare Footage , Retired IFS Mohan Pargaien Posts Viral Video
Retired IFS officer Mohan Pargaien shares viral video of three tigers brawling in Ramnagar, as forest...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
grse mou
GRSE Signs Strategic MoU to Boost Indigenous Development of Advanced Naval Navigation Systems
Mazagon_Dock_Shipbuilders_Ltd_Organizes_Diwali_Mela_
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) Hosts Diwali Mela to Boost Vigilance Awareness and Empower Rural Self-Help Groups
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IDES Saquib Alam
Dr G K Goswami IPS
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT