Dinesh C. Sharma & Aparajith Ramnath Explore at HLF
The ‘Science and the City’ event at the Hyderabad Literary Festival (HLF) commenced with an engaging session titled “What Builds Cities of Science and Technology?” on January 24, 2025, at Orwell Terrace, Sattva Knowledge City. The discussion, featuring esteemed authors Dinesh C. Sharma and Aparajith Ramnath, explored the key drivers behind the transformation of cities into centers of scientific and technological innovation. The session was expertly moderated by Usha Raman.
Dinesh C Sharma, author of “Beyond Biryani: The Making of a Globalised Hyderabad”, highlighted the importance of cultural and historical contexts in shaping cities. He drew from his experience of writing about Hyderabad to illustrate how the city’s rich history, cultural diversity, and entrepreneurial spirit have contributed to its growth as a major hub for technology and innovation. The contribution of institutions like the Industrial Laboratory (which later became the hub for scientific and industrial research), Osmania University and public sector units in the post-1948 era is noteworthy.
Sharma specifically spoke about the Musi Riverfront, conceived by M Visvesvaraya, as an example of visionary urban planning. He highlighted how Visvesvaraya’s plan for the riverfront, which included the construction of imposing institutional buildings, was not only an engineering feat but also a testament to his vision for planned growth and development. He envisioned the riverfront as a civic centre – similar to what he had seen in European cities.
Aparajith Ramnath, author of the biography of M Visvesvaraya, built upon Sharma’s points by highlighting Visvesvaraya’s contributions to India’s industrial development, particularly in the fields of irrigation, dams, and steel production. He emphasized that Visvesvaraya’s work was not just about technological innovation but also about economic activity, governance and other concerns like health.
Ramnath argued that progressive princely states like Hyderabad and Baroda in the early twentieth century were in competition to achieve ‘modernity’ and engineering interventions of technocrats like Visvesvaraya helped them in this endeavour.
The discussion was moderated by Usha Raman, who skillfully guided the conversation and encouraged the authors to share their insights and engage in a lively debate. The session concluded with a Q&A session, where the audience posed interesting questions to the authors.
–Ennen
