Osmania University

Osmania University stands as a testament to India’s educational renaissance, pioneering the impartation of higher education, including scientific and technical subjects, in an Indian language—a practice now widely adopted. Established on September 22, 1918, by His Exalted Highness, Nawab Mir Osman Ali Khan, the then Nizam of Hyderabad, the university embodies the motto “तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय” (lead me from darkness to light).

Under the visionary leadership of Sir Akbar Hydari, who later became the Prime Minister of the State, the university blossomed into a hub of intellectual activity, earning its place among the esteemed centers of learning in India. Located in Hyderabad, Osmania University has fostered cultural synthesis between the North and South, contributing significantly to the city’s intellectual vibrancy.

Over its Golden Jubilee celebrations, the university has expanded to become one of India’s largest, boasting a total enrollment of 47,469 students and 2,543 teaching staff. With 74 colleges under its jurisdiction, including 14 constituent colleges, Osmania offers Bachelor’s degrees in forty-six subjects, Ph.D. programs in thirty subjects, and various diplomas.

Additionally, the university has ventured into research projects in multiple faculties, including a Radiation Genetics Project sponsored by the Atomic Energy Commission. It has been selected by the University Grants Commission as an all-India center for advanced training and research in Experimental Astronomy, setting up a new 48-inch telescope—the largest in South-East Asia—at Rangapur for the Nizamiah Observatory.

Osmania University also actively engages in teacher and student exchange programs with universities abroad, underscoring India’s role in the modern world and fostering global academic connections. With a rich history of fifty years in higher education and recent unprecedented development, the university stands as a beacon of academic excellence.

In celebration of its Golden Jubilee, the Posts and Telegraphs Department commemorates Osmania University’s remarkable journey with a special postage stamp, honoring its invaluable contributions to education and learning in India.