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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.
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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.
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| 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:
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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
