State Bank of Hyderabad and Gun Foundry, Hyderabad - a brief note

State bank of Hyderabad  Head Office at Gun foundry in 1955
en.wikipedia.org

The erstwhile headquarters of the State Bank of Hyderabad in Gun foundry it was founded by the 7th Nizam of Hyderabad State, Mir Osman Ali Khan. After joining the Indian Union till 2017, it was  an associate bank of the SBI, later it  merged with SBI on 1 April 2017.

State bank of Hyderabad  HO at Gun foundry 
thehindubusinessline.com

The Hyderabad State Bank, the central bank of the erstwhile Nizam state, was established on 8 August 1941 under the Hyderabad State Bank Act, during the reign of the last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan.  The headquarters of the  State  Bank  of Hyderabad functioned in the gun foundry, Abids and the banking operations are going on there even today  The bank managed the Osmania Sicca, the currency of Hyderabad state  prior to 1947. From 1956 till 2017, it was  an associate bank of the SBI, later it  merged with SBI on 1 April 2017. It had 18000 employees and 2000 branches mostly covering the state of Telangana and fringe places. 

light illumination SBI, Gun Foundry, Hyderabad. en.wikipedia.org/

SBI is keen to  showcase its wealth of  heritage buildings  in a new light. Many  of them are well illuminated with  an array of lights,  nice gimmick to build up the bank's image.  The associate banks of SBI that were once major  banking industry in the  princely states such  as Jaipur, Mysore, Hyderabad, Patiala, Bikaner and Travancore  and had their HO  in amazing and historic buildings.  The Hyderabad State bank  opened its first factory  at gun foundry, on 5th April, 1942 and another branch in Secunderabad in 1906. The first branch functioned in the gun foundry building that  was designed by Mohammad Fayazuddin who studied architecture in England. 

After the annexation of Hyderabad to India in September, 1948 the bank had not more than 50 branches by 1950.The bank took control of   the Mercantile Bank of Hyderabad,  founded in 1935 by  Raja Pannalal Pitt and later started functioning as the agent and treasury of the Reserve bank of India. The State Bank of India  embarked on the illumination projects involving its heritage building  to attract the local residents and it was introduced  in the building at Gun Foundry that was built during the reign of the last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan. 
Tit-Bits:

the Gun foundry (1786 AD),Hyderabad,
thehinduimages.com
 
Above image: Top ka Sancha  or the Gun foundry (1786 AD)  that was founded by the  second Nizam of Hyderabad, Nawab Mir Nizam Ali Khan at Fateh Maidan in Hyderabad, India was the main producer of  cannon balls and guns  needed for the  battles.  French General Monsieur Michel Raymond, who was in the service of the second ruler, was instrumental in setting up many cannon ball factories in the state and the present one  was established in the 18th century and  is the only surviving gun foundry. 

 It has been in  a state of utter neglect for a long time  and many  residential colonies are built around the site. Only a small part of  Gun foundry has survived  and he main entry gates remain closed year round  to avoid trespassing and abuse of the site according to the ASI that controls the site. This old factory site needs urgent repair as it is the legacy of the then rulers - the Nizams.  It was in this area the first branch of State Bank of Hyderabad came up - the first one in the entire state.   

https://www.veethi.com/State-bank-of-india-building-gwalior/PH8233

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/money-and-banking/sbi-to-show-off-its-structures/article62303309.ece