Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday announced a ₹1,000 crore revival plan for Osmania University, describing it and Telangana as “inseparable twins.” He inaugurated development projects including ₹90 crore worth of hostel complexes, a digital library, a reading room, and new dormitory facilities.
Minister Adluri Laxman, government advisor Vem Narender Reddy, Vice-Chancellor V.C. Kumar, and Professor Kodandaram attended the ceremony alongside university faculty and students.
Revanth Reddy highlighted the university’s historical role in shaping Telangana’s political identity. He cited prominent alumni such as former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao, Jaipal Reddy, and Marri Chenna Reddy. Blaming earlier governments for attempting to sideline the institution, he stressed that his government intends to restore OU’s legacy. The recent appointment of a Dalit Vice-Chancellor, he said, reflects this commitment.
Osmania University revival includes campus freedom and anti-drug efforts
The Chief Minister urged that Osmania University must remain a space for free thought, ideological engagement, and student activism. He expressed concern over increasing drug use on campuses and called the spread of “ganja culture” deeply troubling. He said authorities must act swiftly to tackle the issue.
Although the state faces financial difficulties, Revanth Reddy maintained that education is the best investment for the future. He pointed to the ₹25,000 crore “Young India Schools” initiative as a major step in that direction.
He also promised to return to Osmania University in December. During that visit, he said, he would address students openly in front of the Arts College without police presence. “You can raise questions or even protest. I will not stop you,” he said, adding that any legitimate demands would be acted upon immediately through on-the-spot government orders.
In addition, he instructed officials to set up an engineers’ committee to oversee the university’s infrastructure development. He also confirmed that Professor Kodandaram would be nominated to the Legislative Council within the next 15 days.
Taking a dig at political rivals, he dismissed AI-generated videos that showed “elephants and lions” at Hyderabad Central University. “The real beasts are hiding in farmhouses and they are the ones who need to be caged,” he said.
