Hyderabad is known for its history, culture, food, technology, trees and pearls, says author Dr Dinesh C Sharma.
By D. RAMCHANDRAM
HYDERABAD, Nov 29 (The CONNECT) – There is more to Hyderabad than Biryani.
Hyderabad shot into fame for Biryani only a few decades back though the cuisine Biryani existed for a very long time said Dr Dinesh C Sharma, the author of the book “Beyond Biryani”–The Making of a Globalised Hyderabad.
There is more to Hyderabad. Hyderabad is known for many things, including its history, culture, food, and attractions. It is known as the city of pearls.
Dr Sharma narrated: It is also known for hilarious, quirky one-liners such as Hau, Hallu, Kya Miya, Dekho Chiccha And Baigan Ke Baataan Nakko Karo.
It is an IT Capital. It is a Pharma Capital, Vaccines Capital, Life Sciences and Training Capital. Besides Biryani it is known for Badminton, Bahubali, Bagarbaingan, Bangles, Double Ka Mitha, Gazar Ka Halwa, Irani Chai, Samosa, Karachi Biscuit, Osmania Biscuit, Maska Bun and what not.
It is home to many union government research labs and defiance institutes, the national police academy. It is a city of nawabs and kababs. Biryani and Sherwani, pearls and paigahs, Haleem and arches, minarets and modern buildings. It is a tri-city and Tree city. Now a fourth city—The Future City – is also coming uo.
Hyderabad is the city where Biology meets Technology, where Data Science meets Life Sciences, where metaverse meets mango verse, where north India touches south of India and it is that melting point, said Dr Sharma.
Dr Shrama, a science journalist, columnist and journalism educator is the author of the book. He lived away from Hyderabad for 35 years. At the invitation of the Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FTCCI), he delivered a talk on Thursday night on the History of Hyderabad.
- Beyond Biryani: The Making of a Globalised Hyderabad is available on Amazon
Replying to a question on the controversy surrounding the Musi River Front Project, the author said Moksha Gundam Visvesvaraya proposed Musi Riverfront activities in 1908″
Hyderabad city was inundated with floods in 1908 and FTCCI was formed in 1917. Do institutions like FTCCI and others preserve their history? he asked and said big ‘No’. Beyond souvenirs brought out on the eve of milestone year celebrations, most organisations do not preserve their history. Organisations’ memory is very short. He suggested to Mr. Suresh Kumar Singhal, President of FTCCI to write their 107-year-old history and preserve it for future generations. Institutions must have a culture of preserving history, he said.
The system of teaching in native languages which Osmania University started emulated the practice that was in vogue in Japan he shared.
The author shared many unknown things about Hyderabad such as the beginning of the CMC Research Lab, which subsequently paved the wave for the IT revolution in the city.
CMC which was once owned by The Government of India (GoI), was privatised later. When US-based MNCs were shunted out of India by the government which was ruling then. CMC, based out of Hyderabad took over the maintenance of IBM installations at over 800 locations. This paved the way for a subsequent IT revolution in the city. Today Hyderabad is known by the whole world for its IT industry and IT-related services.
Welcoming the gathering Suresh Kumar Singhal, president of FTCCI said every generation must know history about their place and their ancestors. There is no present without the past. Understanding the past is important. History provides a chronological account of the past, which can help us understand who we are and where we come from, he said.
