Ameerpet to America

Information Technology (IT) and IT enabled Service (ITES) centres that provide coaching to software aspirants in different programmes and languages in the field of software and hardware. Ameerpet is one of the busiest areas of the city with lot of commercial establishments.

This colony got the name Ameerpet from Ameer Ali Khan, a subedar, who was staying in the colony and worked at least in four Collectorates of Hyderabad, Nizamabad, Aurangabad and Karimnagar during the rule of the fourth Nizam Nawab, Nasir-UlDoula.

Recalling the growth of the colony, a senior resident V Jagadeesh said, “The Ameerpet colony was granted by the Andhra Pradesh Housing Board (APHB), which constructed as many as 50 houses in 1953-54. “Initially, people were scared to come and live here as the area was full of dense jungles,” Jagadeesh said.

The area, especially, HUDA Maitrivanam became a popular joint for undertaking training in various IT and ITES fields, after many software aspirants settled in America. “At least 10,000 students take training per month in various languages and programmes in IT and ITES. Also many training centers came up here due to the close proximity to Hi-tech city, located in Madhapur,” said K Siva Kumar, Technical Manager, Zoom Technologies.

Some of the religious bodies located here are the Pochamma Temple, now called the Durga Temple, Hanuman temple and Gurudwara Sahib. Many Sikh families living in the area visit the gurudwara regularly. “The Gurudwara Sahib is famous in the locality and every day we perform ardas,” Indrajit Singh, an organising member of the Gurudwara and former police official said.

He said that as many as 1000 Sikhs came to Hyderabad from Punjab on the request of Fourth Nizam Nawab, Nasir- Ul- Doula to provide him security. They were also called to herald peace among the Arabs and other communities who were protesting against payment of taxes and robberies. “We built the Gurudwara Sahib in 1943 with the assistance of Gopal Singh, who was the mentor of the Sikh community in Hyderabad,” Indrajit Singh said.

Today, Ameerpet is a commercial hub with many retail and small shops setting base. Chandana Brothers, R S Brothers, Chermas and Big Bazaar are some of the well-known names who have their shops here. For the movie viewing public there is the Adlabs film theater, besides, the existence of corporate offices of Dr. Reddy Laboratory and Aurobindo.