Originally from Nalgonda district, former IAS officer G. Kishan Rao moved to Hyderabad during his childhood. Kishan Rao has had many assignments on his hands. He was the former director of the AP Tourism Department, and is known for beautifying many places in the city like Yadagirigutta, Shilparamam, Charminar, and Laad Bazaar.
He remembers his initial days in the city. “What I loved about Hyderabad is how people celebrated all the festivals in a cordial way. We greeted Muslims on Ramzan, and they greeted us on Dasara and Diwali. We also sent sweets to each other. The best part is that nothing has changed — we still continue to follow the rituals,” says Kishan Rao.
He says that what makes Hyderabad unique is its history and culture. “The University of Hyderabad, Osmania University, Chowmahalla Palace, Falaknuma Palace, and Osmania Hospital... the city has beautiful places. What I miss about the city is how clean and traffic-free it was back then. During the Nizam period, it is said that the city was cleaned at 2 am. However, I think any growing city would face the same problem. The city is developing and I’m happy. The government is doing its best,” he says.
Kishan Rao continues, “The entire Indian culture is seen in one city, and that is the greatness of Hyderabad. All communities maintain cordial relationships. It makes it easy for anyone to live here, no matter from which part of the world.”
