Hyderabad: Research scholars and historians can now look forward to the State Central Library when it comes to browsing rare ancient books. “Persian, Arabic, Sanskrit, Urdu and English books, dating back to the Nizam era, were digitalised. The books were getting damaged owing to wear and tear so the timely action will help,” said Mr G Srihari Shanker, gazetted librarian, …
Dressed in a spotless white kurta-pyjama, Nizamuddin, 57, is a picture of despair as he dusts a few books and arranges them neatly on the iron shelves. HT Image Nizamuddin is the owner of Kutub Khana Anjuman-e-Taraqqi-e-Urdu, one of the biggest and oldest shops at the Urdu market in front of Jama Masjid in the Walled City.“Urdu Bazar is fighting …
Urdu books continue to get a short shrift in Hyderabad’s public libraries. Though 40 per cent of the city’s population is Urdu-speaking, the 90-odd libraries run by the Hyderabad City Grandhalaya Samstha remain devoid of Urdu books. “In certain areas there is no demand for Telugu books, especially in Old City; yet libraries are full of them,” says a librarian …
The idea of gathering books on Hyderabad, its history and culture, particularly the Asafjahi dynasty, is gaining ground. Many feel Hyderabad related books now gathering dust in different libraries both government and private should be protected and brought at one place. “We need to preserve everything connected with Hyderabad and the Nizams”, said Prof. Suleman Siddiqui, former Vice-Chancellor, Osmania University. …
