An Architectural Masterpiece in Hyderabad

In the heart of Hyderabad stands a majestic building with a colossal Corinthian portico. Once the British Residency of Hyderabad State, it was constructed at the start of the 19th century as the official residence of the envoys of the East India Company. The grand mansion was the central location for the events of William Dalrymple’s book White Mughals, and became a visual symbol of power, dramatically changing Hyderabad’s architecture. Since India’s independence it has been the pioneering Osmania University College for Women, and was recently upgraded to a university in its own right, the Telangana Mahila Viswa Vidyalayam.

The building has now been restored following a major conservation programme coordinated by World Monuments Fund, and this ground-breaking book is published to mark the inauguration.

Conservation architect Anuradha Naik explores the history of the structure, its occupants and its influence, and gives a detailed account of the revelations unearthed by the recent restoration. Its design has traditionally been attributed to a 22-year-old East India Company engineer, but Naik presents the new theory that its true designer may have been the notable British architect Henry Holland.

Illustrated with specially commissioned photography by André J. Fanthome and rare archival images.

Anuradha S. Naik, RIBA, RIAS, FRSA, FRAS is a UNESCO award-winning conservation architect, designer and author who works on building conservation and craft revival with a focus on the Deccan.