Stepwells in the Qutb Shahi Tomb complex at Golconda was selected for the Distinguished Award and Domakonda Fort at Kamareddy was selected for the Merit Award
Published Date – Sat 26 Nov 22 at 09:34pm
Hyderabad: Telangana’s efforts to restore and preserve heritage have scooped up more global laurels, with two initiatives in the state winning UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.
The 2022 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation, announced in Bangkok on Saturday, included the stepwells in the Qutb Shahi Tombs of Golcondak chosen for the award of excellence, while the Doma of Kamaredi Kondaberg was selected for the Merit Award.
This year, 13 projects from 6 countries including Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, Nepal and Thailand won awards. An international jury considered and reviewed 50 entries from 11 countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
In 2013, the state government, together with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, carried out work on a stepwell dating back to the 17th century within the Qutb Shahi Tombs. The restoration of six stepwells in the cemetery spread over 106 acres at a cost of Rs 400 crore was recently attended by MA&UD Minister KT Rama Rao. The initiative has fully restored six baolis, Badi, Hamam, Bagh, Western, Idgah and Eastern.
The Domakonda Fort project, a private initiative that has successfully restored the community’s cultural spaces, has been appreciated for creating community pride. Conservation Architect Anuradha Naik is lead consultant on the fort project, a private initiative by Anil Kamineni, one of the descendants of the previous Domakonda Samasthan family and his wife Shobana, with the necessary permits from the Archaeological Department .
Work on the Domakonda fortress began in 2011 and will be largely completed by 2022. Local artisans receive a high level of training and maximize the use of locally sourced materials.
