Telangana State Archives and Research Institute TSARI Hyderabad

Overview

The Telangana State Archives and Research Institute (TSARI) is the principal archival institution of the state of Telangana, India, located on the campus of Osmania University in Tarnaka, Hyderabad. It is one of the leading archives in India, holding custody of approximately 43 million documents spanning from the Mughal period to the present day, approximately 90 percent of which are in Persian and Urdu.

History and Founding

The institution's origins date to 1724 AD, when the main administrative office (Daftar-i-Diwani-o-Mal-o-Mulki) was established under the early Asaf Jahi (Nizam) dynasty of Hyderabad. The Nizam's Government converted this into a formal record office in 1893. Following the accession of Hyderabad into the Indian Union, the Daftar-i-Diwani was renamed the Central Record Office on December 14, 1950. It was reorganized on the pattern of the National Archives of India in 1962 and renamed the State Archive. The status of Research Institute was formally granted and it was recognized by Osmania University in 1992. Following the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in 2018, the institution was renamed the Telangana State Archives and Research Institute. The current building, constructed on a five-acre site leased from Osmania University, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on July 6, 1965.

Collections and Holdings

TSARI holds approximately 43 million documents, with major collections encompassing Mughal administrative records (including the largest collection in India from the reigns of Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb, with documents from as early as 1406 CE), Nizam-era administrative, judicial, financial, and land records (including jagir records and army records), and post-Independence state government records. Manuscripts are available in Persian, Urdu, Arabic, and other languages. The archives also house an Archival Museum displaying weapons, sculptures, coins, paintings, rare manuscripts, and historical documents. The institute awards Ph.D. fellowships and publishes research monographs. A digitization project is underway in partnership with the Government of Iran and Noor International Microfilm Centre.

Access and Research

Researchers are welcome to visit the reading library and the archives by registering in advance. The staff and director Dr. Zareena Parveen are noted as helpful and engaged with the research community. The archives also offers manuscript conservation services under the National Mission for Manuscripts (Ministry of Culture, Government of India).