Hyderabad, Sept. 5 -- Just off the busy Punjagutta road, Aiwan-e-Urdu, formally known as the Idara-e-Adabiyat-e-Urdu, stands out for its architectural marvel. Its arched windows conceal one of the city's most significant cultural repositories. Inside, rare manuscripts, calligraphy panels and ageing books hold stories from centuries past, even as the institution itself faces the challenge of survival in modern times.

A legacy of literature and art

Established in 1931 by Dr. Syed Mohiuddin Qadri Zore, on land gifted by his poet-wife Tahniyat-unnisa, Aiwan-e-Urdu was conceived as more than a library. It was to be a sanctuary for the literary heritage of the Deccan, extending to Persian, Dakhni, and Arabic works.

With a collection boasting...