Kishan Reddy inaugurates two new blocks in Salarjung Museum

Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G Kishan Reddy inaugurated two new blocks and five galleries in the Salarjung Museum on Sunday. He said that for the survival of any country it is essential to preserve the country’s history, culture, arts, traditions and language. “As we preserve our language by speaking regularly, we retain our existence by following the culture and tradition,” he said.
“Two blocks were constructed in the year 2000 and today, two more blocks are available. The museum is adopting modernity from time to time to suit the environment. The artefacts have been brought from different countries. So the museum preserves the artefacts as with different countries’ temperature, lighting and humidity. It has the 2nd century’s Bodhisattva Maitreya image and a standing Buddha statue from the 3rd century Ikshvaku period.”
“The Union government has released Rs 32 lakh for the modernisation of the Indian Sculpture Gallery, Rs 38 lakh for Bidri Ware Gallery, Rs 35 lakh for Lamps Gallery, Rs 28 lakh for European Bronze Statuary Gallery and Rs 42 lakh for the European Marble Gallery,” he added.
Since the independence of the country till 2014, only 13 artefacts have been brought back to our country from other countries. But in the last 10 years we have brought back 344 Indian works of art to our country.”
Padma Sri awardee and prominent sculptor Ekka Yadagiri Rao said that he got the awards because of the Department of Sculptures established by the Nizam. “It is a wonderful museum,” he said, “after the Salar Jung III collection, in 1972 only his sculptures are in this museum.”
Salar Jung Museum Director Ashish Goyal, Acharya Kishan Rao, A Nagendra Reddy, Jitender, Prakash Reddy, Rani Rudrama Reddy and others participated in the programme.