Hyderabad, June 15: Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Sunday described the iconic Salar Jung Museum as the embodiment of Hyderabad’s soul and a living symbol of religious harmony and secularism.
Addressing the 75th anniversary celebrations of the Salar Jung Museum and the 137th birth anniversary of Salar Jung III Mir Yousuf Ali Khan, Bhatti Vikramarka paid rich tributes to the visionary collector whose passion for art and heritage resulted in one of the world’s largest single-person collections of antiques and artefacts.
Telangana Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, AIMIM MLA Mir Zulfeqar Ali and several dignitaries attended the celebrations.
The Deputy Chief Minister hailed Salar Jung III, the former Prime Minister of the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad, as a visionary who preserved the essence of world civilisation through his extraordinary collection. He remarked that while people often misplace everyday items such as spectacles or keys, Salar Jung III succeeded in preserving an entire world of art, culture and history.
Noting that the museum houses over 43,000 artefacts, Bhatti said the collection reflected not merely a hobby but an unparalleled dedication to art and heritage. He praised Salar Jung III’s generosity in spending his personal resources to acquire rare treasures from across the globe and ultimately making them available to the public.
Highlighting the museum’s diverse collection, the Deputy Chief Minister pointed out that Hindu bronze idols, copies of the Holy Quran, Christian Madonna sculptures and Buddhist artefacts coexist under one roof. He also referred to unique ritual objects that combine depictions of Lord Vishnu’s ten avatars with verses from the Quran, calling the museum a living example of secularism and the Deccan’s famed “Ganga-Jamuna Tehzeeb”.
Bhatti Vikramarka described the Musi River, which flows beside the museum, as a stream carrying Hyderabad’s collective memories. He reiterated the Telangana Government’s commitment to rejuvenating the long-neglected river and transforming it into a world-class riverfront comparable to the Thames in London and the Seine in Paris.
He envisioned the Salar Jung Museum as a cultural crown jewel of the proposed Musi Riverfront project. According to the Deputy Chief Minister, a comprehensive tourism plan is being prepared to enable visitors to travel along the river, explore heritage streets and experience Hyderabad’s rich historical legacy.
Emphasising Hyderabad’s unique identity, he said the city is defined not only by heritage landmarks such as Charminar but also by modern achievements represented by Cyber Towers. He noted that Hyderabad has emerged as a global hub for biotechnology, information technology, pharmaceuticals and emerging fields like quantum computing.
“Hyderabad has never chosen between the past and the future; it has embraced both,” he remarked.
Bhatti further announced plans to integrate the Salar Jung Museum with the Old City heritage circuit, which includes Charminar, Golconda Fort, Qutb Shahi Tombs, Chowmahalla Palace and Falaknuma Palace. Improved transport facilities, night tourism initiatives and guided heritage walks in Telugu, Urdu, Hindi and English are also being planned.
He stressed that heritage conservation should go beyond preserving monuments and become a source of livelihood for thousands of people, including local guides, artisans and workers in the hospitality and transport sectors.
The celebrations highlighted the enduring legacy of Salar Jung III and reinforced the museum’s role as one of India’s most significant cultural and historical institutions.
