Hyderabad: Amidst gruelling electioneering in sweltering heat and promises, G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister for Culture, Tourism and Development of North East Region says he would pursue relocating the famed Nizam Jewels in Hyderabad.
The Union Government had bought the entire collection of Nizam Jewels for Rs 217 crore in 1995 after a 23-year negotiation with the Nizam’s family post the death of the last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan.
The Nizam Jewels, which are in Reserve Bank of India vaults, were last exhibited for the public in 2019 in New Delhi where 173 exceptional pieces of jewellery belonging to the Nizams of Hyderabad dating from 1724 to 1948 were put on display.
“I will certainly pursue the location of the Nizam Jewellery in Hyderabad. I had a short tenure in the Tourism Ministry. I could not apply my mind on this issue. We have taken up many tourism projects across the country including Telangana State. If there is any possibility to bring back the Nizam jewellery to Hyderabad, I will do it,” Kishan Reddy told Siasat.com
Nizam Jewellery was put on display for the first time in 2001 and again in 2007 in New Delhi. Two exhibitions were also held at Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad in 2001 and 2006.
The actual number of pieces, if pairs and groups of ornaments are split up, is 325, not including 22 unset emeralds, and the 185-carat Jacob diamond, one of the world’s largest by size.
The collection includes turban ornaments, necklaces, earrings, armbands, bracelets, bells, buttons and cufflinks, anklets, watch chains and rings—all jewels once worn by the once fabulously wealthy Nizams of Hyderabad, their wives, children and grandchildren.
There were attempts by various governments in the undivided AP and Telangana government but due to lack of serious efforts, the proposals fell through.
Former Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh, N Chandrababu Naidu seriously took up the issue of locating the Nizam’s jewellery in Hyderabad with the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Naidu almost succeeded but his government fell. The Centre had even sent a team to identify a suitable location for parking the costly jewels.
The State government officials showed the Central team the Salar Jung Museum, neighbouring Kela (banana) Mandi near Afzal Gunj, Health Museum in Public Gardens, as possible sites in Banjara Hills.
The Centre wanted not only a suitable and safe place but also one where high security could be provided to protect the priceless jewels, cost of land, building and recurring expenditure.
Former Chief Minister of AP, Y S Rajasekhar Reddy of undivided AP and first Chief Minister of Telangana State K Chandrasekhar Rao too promised to bring back the jewels, but they did not follow it up since their prime focus was welfare schemes.
Dr A Nagender Reddy, Former Director of Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad, who had supervised the exhibition of Nizam Jewels at the SJM during his tenure in 2001 and 2006, said the location of Nizam Jewellery in Hyderabad will certainly enhance the State’s image internationally.
“There were serious attempts by governments, but it failed. The main issue is allotment of government land of at least one acre in the heart of the city, Rs 15 to 20 crore for the construction of building, high security and provision of recurring expenditure. Location of jewellery at a permanent site is the only solution since transportation and exhibition is a costly and risky affair,” Nagender Reddy explains.
He added, “We had two exhibitions. During the last exhibition, we spent Rs 48 lakh on transportation of the jewellery on a defence aircraft Delhi-Hyderabad-Delhi. The cost of security was around Rs 50,000 per day for nearly 15 months. Apart from Salar Jung Museum, 75 odd staff and another 50 staff for supervision and security. But with advanced technologies such as closed-circuit cameras and electronic surveillance, physical security requirements will be less now,” he said.
Kishan Reddy, who is also the president of the Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party and contesting from Secunderabad Lok Sabha Constituency for the second time, says while he would be trying for Nizam Jewels, he had taken up several tourism and culture projects in Hyderabad and Telangana State since becoming Tourism Minister.
“UNESCO recognition for the 800-year-old Kakatiya Rudreswara (Ramappa) Temple in Mulug, renovation of Thousand Pillar Temple in Warangal, installation of a dynamic lighting system at Arts College, Osmania University, Sound and Light Show, façade illumination of Charminar, Multimedia laser show with water screen and musical fountain at Sanjeevaiah park, Mint Museum at Saifabad, new galleries at Salar Jung Museum, First National Museum of Epigraphy at Salar Jung Museum, laid foundation stone for the 1st Regional Centre of Sangeet Natak Akademi, Civil Aviation Research Organisation” are some of my achievements besides other infrastructure projects.
Kishan Reddy had earlier served as Union Minister of State (MoS), for Home Affairs. He has also served as Floor leader of the BJP in AP Legislative Assembly.
