How a landmark partnership between the Telangana Government and the World Monuments Fund is turning the city’s past into its future.

How Hyderabad is Leading a Global Heritage Revolution

On a crisp January evening in 2026, the grand Corinthian columns of the British Residency (now Koti Women’s College) glowed with a new kind of light. It wasn’t just the strobe lights of a high-fashion runway, but the spotlight of a global movement.

Hyderabad recently became the stage for a historic triple-celebration: 60 years of the World Monuments Fund (WMF), 10 years of WMF India, and the 30th anniversary of fashion legend Tarun Tahiliani. But behind the glamour lies a transformative vision for our city’s future.

The Residency: A Blueprint for the Future

The choice of venue was no accident. The British Residency, once a crumbling relic of the “White Mughal” era, has been meticulously restored by WMF and the Deccan Heritage Foundation.

Today, it isn’t a dead museum; it’s a living university. This concept of “Adaptive Reuse” is what WMF President Bénédicte de Montlaur calls the “Hyderabad Model”—where history stays relevant by serving the community every single day.

25 Monuments, One Mission

The biggest news for us locals is the launch of the Heritage Partners Initiative. The Telangana Government has officially identified 25 heritage sites across the state for a massive restoration push.

The “High-Five” Priority Sites:

• Osmania General Hospital: Restoring the soul of our public healthcare heritage.
• Purana Pul: Breathing life back into the city’s oldest bridge over the Musi.
• City College: Reviving the majestic riverfront academic icon.
• Taramati Baradari: Ensuring the legendary music hall continues to sing.
• Wanaparthy Palace: Taking the heritage movement beyond the city limits.

Where Fashion Meets Foundation

Designer Tarun Tahiliani summed up the mood perfectly. Eschewing the usual Bollywood showstoppers, he let the architecture do the talking. His collection, rooted in “India Modern,” mirrored the Residency itself—a synthesis of local craft and global influence.

As Tahiliani noted, the Residency was built by a collaboration of British design and Hyderabadi craftsmanship. That same spirit of collaboration is now the fuel for the “Heritage Partners” scheme, which invites corporate leaders and philanthropists (like the UK’s Richard Broyd) to “adopt” and sustain these monuments through CSR.

The Musi River: The Next Chapter

Perhaps most exciting is the WMF’s focus on the Musi River Historic Buildings. Recently added to the 2025 World Monuments Watch, this corridor is being reimagined as a cultural and environmental “lung” for the city. From restoring ancient stepwells (baolis) to revitalizing the riverfront, the goal is clear: to make Hyderabad’s past the foundation of its modern identity.

What’s your favorite “hidden” heritage spot in Hyderabad? Whether it’s a quiet stepwell in your neighborhood or a crumbling archway in the Old City, it might be the next site to be saved.

Stay tuned to Hyderabad Stories as we track the progress of these 25 monuments!