The Osmania University is one of the oldest and most prestigious institutions of learning in the country. Established in 1018 and named after the last Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan, it is famous for its academic excellence as well as an excellent architecture of its arts college building. Approximately 5 km drive from the center of the Hyderabad city, the Osmania University is located in a picturesque location surrounded by trees. 2.5-lakh square foot arts college building forms the nucleus of the 1,500 acres of the university campus, which perhaps is the one of the largest campuses in India. This imposing building is the center of attraction for most of the people visiting the place.

An Architectural Beauty

The Osmania Arts College building is the live example of an eloquent statement on secularism since it presents a harmonious combination of Hindu temple styles architecture with those of the Saracenics. Inlaid into this unique form are motifs of medieval Muslim, Arabic, Moorish and Gothic school of architecture.

The building is an aesthetically designed giant structure expressing itself in granite, very much similar to the composition of other monuments found in the city. The granite structure which generates so much of awe is the product of hard work done by two eminent architects, Ali Raza and Zain Yar Jung who put lots of hard work in studying. The architrave details of some of the most prominent universities of the world before they came up with the Osmania Arts college building. the site was selected by Sir Patric Geedes and the design was based on the idea of Belgian architect jasper.

The interiors of the great welcome arch built in granite and supported by soaring, round and polished granite pillars can make any visitor wonder in appreciation once he enters the building. This vertical oblong stands out from the facade and rises higher than the sidewalls and wings of the structure. A trefoil arch which is higher then the walls of the edifice on adds great beauty to either side of its portals. To the right and left of the great arch are two double-storied colonnaded galleries, each a mirror replica of the other. The entablatures of the first floor are supported on octagonal pillars typical of columnar architecture found in Ellora and Ajanta caves. The second floor balconies are arcaded and flaunt trellised balustrades in a manner similar to the first floor balconies.

The arch houses a semicircular vault with stalactites. The next is a magnificent foyer with two pronged stairways presiding over by a big window that at one time was the biggest stained glass window next in size only to the window at Medak church. The foyer has four internal balconies on its four sides, forming a kind of squarish halo above the ground floor. 24 ornamental pillars, representative of the best Hindu architectural styles, support the galleries present.

Another distinction of the architects and planners of the Arts College building is that all the pink shade granite stone used to build the great building came from quarries within the campus area.

In Ali Raza’s words summing up can be done through these lines “In the construction of all Osmania buildings, motifs from different historical periods were borrowed and were made into a harmonious blending. The pillars were modeled on pillars from Ajanta and Ellora caves. The arches were modeled on the arches from the monuments at Delhi, Agra and Charminar and the Mecca Masjid of Hyderabad. In some places, arches and pillars in the styles of Arabia have been constructed. In this way, we have purposely ignored the modern architecture of (Lutyen’s) Delhi.”

The Osmania University Campus.

Besides the imposing arts college building, there are other equally beautiful and academically useful buildings like the library building, the law college, engineering college and science blocks etc, most of them sharing similar architectural design.

Its library began functioning as early as 1018, but the library is as contemporary as any other library in the country. It has extensive collection of government as well as UN documents. The government papers like the budget papers; census and statistical reports are processed and are made available. It receives books, journals and mimeographed documents (verbatim debates of the General Assembly and the Security Council) published by the UN and its agencies. It also has a UNESCO Information Center. the "Competitive Examinations Reference Library", those who are the aspirants of various such examinations.

The University campus also houses the American Studies Research Center and the Institute of Public Enterprise. It has many hostels for students coming from other parts of the country. A botanical garden adds to its nice natural ambience. In recognition of its excellent academic achievements, Osmania University had the distinction of being awarded the FIVE STAR status by the National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC) of the University Grants Commission, Government of India in the year 2001.

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The library also has kept documented vision of Osmania.It contains important documents of the Nizam period. Official permission is needed to see these Farmans, manuscripts and photographs

The other specialty of this typical university library is its gift collection of the personal libraries of such stalwarts as Nawab Ali Yawar Jung. Its manuscripts' collections include palm-leaf manuscripts, illustrations, calligraphy and scripts of the rare variety

The Osmania Arts College due to its aesthetics beauty, rich history and academic excellence becomes an ideal tourist location worth visiting