UoH Receives Sarojini Naidu's Artefacts and Will at Golden Threshold in Abids
The University of Hyderabad formally received the artefacts, personal belongings, and will of freedom fighter and poet Sarojini Naidu during a ceremony at the historic Golden Threshold building in Abids on Monday. The formal transfer followed Telangana Government Order No. 1040/Endts.II/A1/2026, dated February 9, 2026, which handed the items over to the university administration.
The event, titled ‘Preserving the poet’s legacy – handing over of Smt. Sarojini Naidu’s artefacts’, was organised in the conference hall of the Golden Threshold. During the proceedings, Naidu’s will and the official government order were presented directly to University of Hyderabad Vice-Chancellor J. Anuradha.
In her inaugural address, Vice-Chancellor Anuradha recalled her earlier association with the Sarojini Naidu School of Arts and Communication during the period when it functioned from the Golden Threshold premises. She noted that preserving the heritage building had been a long-standing aspiration for the institution and described the handover ceremony as the first major step toward bringing the restored space back to life.
Author and Sarojini Naidu Trust trustee Sheela Reddy recounted the process of discovering Naidu's letters and personal belongings inside a building at Osmania Hospital. She explained that she subsequently collected rare letters and artefacts tied to the freedom fighter, noting that Golden Threshold served as Naidu's marital home and regularly welcomed prominent national leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru.
Naidu was an integral figure in India’s freedom movement, serving as the first woman president of the Indian National Congress and later becoming the first woman governor of a state in independent India. Officials at the gathering observed that the initiative is intended to strengthen Golden Threshold’s role as a dedicated centre for preserving and showcasing her literary, cultural, and historical legacy.
During the ceremony, the university felicitated several individuals who contributed to the preservation and renovation of the historic structure. Those honoured included Sheela Reddy, Papa Rao, Vinod Pavarala, Shaik Jeelani, and Ch. Hanumantha Rao.
The programme concluded with a guided tour of the restored Golden Threshold building, allowing guests to inspect the preserved items and view the conservation work completed by the university. The event was attended by members of the Sarojini Naidu Trust, university officials, and individuals associated with the heritage restoration project.
