IoE Research Intern in the Department of History, Mr. Satyajit Pramanik, working under the supervision of Prof. Anindita Mukhopadhyay (Head, Dept. of History, University of Hyderabad) visited the Bharat Ratna Dr BR Ambedkar Memorial Library, Osmania University, Hyderabad on 12 April, 2023. This field visit is part of the project titled “Beyond Regional Frames: Histories of Interconnections across Spatial Scales (Frames of Imperialism: Frames of Childhood)” funded by Institute of Eminence (IoE), University of Hyderabad.

The field visit explores the varied collection of books in the Bharat Ratna Dr BR Ambedkar Memorial Library, Arts College Library, Law College Library and the Library of Business and Commerce College in the Osmania University as part of the project. This varying collection ranges from religious books to philosophical, and Sanskrit texts to rare manuscripts arranged in a chronoscopic manner. Mr. Satyajit Pramanik, has gotten immense support from the Librarians of the libraries viz. A. K. Chakravarthy (Librarian, Bharat Ratna Dr BR Ambedkar Memorial Library), and Dr Achala Munigal (Librarian, Law Library, Osmania University).

 

The libraries of Osmania University, could be tagged as the paradise of bookworm’s, stocked with wide range of books on arts, management and Commerce, and literature. It has excellent collection of over 75,540 of bound volumes of journals, 14,052 of theses and dissertations, 12,755 of UN documents, 6,825 of manuscripts and palm leaves, 273 of Films, and subscription of 274 national and international journals. These libraries are automated and can be accessed through remote-access technology via campus network.

The libraries have a good number of newspaper collection namely – Siyasat, Eenadu, Deccan Herald, Osmania Journal of International Business Studies, Indian Journal of Accounting, Indian Journal of Commerce, Indian Journal of Finance, Journal of Accounting and Finance, Vikalpa, IIMB Management Review from (IIM Bangalore), Harvard Journal of Consumer Research etc. The central library of Osmania University is the home of Centre for Study of Regional Development, School of Social Studies, (New Delhi), which has helped develop the vibrant literate community in Telangana region.

This field visit aims to document the history of Hyderabad and the history of Telangana in general. It envisaged the question of how the growth of a literate community in the Telangana region has bloomed as a distinct cultural phenomenon in the latter half of the19th century and the early part of the 20th Century. More specifically, it traces the interconnected histories of making of a literate community and its intertwined spatial relationship with the Telugu speaking people of Southern part of India through the systematic contributions of Osmania University and its associated colleges. Henceforth, this project will contribute to understand and document the distinctive history of the Telugu speaking region and its steady development process of modern Indian Knowledge system moving hand in hand with its North Indian counterpart.

— Contributed by Satyajit Pramanik, IoE Research Intern, Department of History, University of Hyderabad