Bidar
The Shaheen Education Group, which has adopted the historic Mahmūd Gāvān Madrasa, has initiated extensive renovation works at the site, aiming to restore its heritage and make it a key tourist attraction. The inauguration ceremony for the project was held on Friday within the madrasa premises, with the group’s president, Dr. Abdul Khadeer, addressing the gathering.
Dr. Khadeer stated that the group will oversee the maintenance of the madrasa for the next five years, undertaking a range of improvement projects. Renovation plans include landscaping, construction of pedestrian pathways, installation of fountains, toilets, clean drinking water facilities, decorative lighting, and CCTV cameras. Additionally, a literature center affiliated with a university will be established, and awareness programs will be conducted among local residents about the historical significance of the monument.
The initiative also aims to attract visitors from Hyderabad and other regions, with guides being trained to enhance tourist engagement. Dr. Khadeer highlighted the madrasa’s past as a renowned educational institution that drew students from over 25 countries, contributing significantly to the academic field.
He further emphasized that Bidar has numerous historically significant monuments, and developing them for tourism will generate employment and boost the district’s economy. A Shahīn food court has already been set up near the city fort, and plans are underway to introduce battery-operated vehicles for visitors.
Prominent attendees at the inauguration included retired Chancellor Muhammad Salman Siddiqi, Maulana Azhar Madani, Archaeological Survey of India’s senior conservation assistant Ajay Janardhan, senior journalists Devu Pattar and Rishikesh Bahaddur Desai, historian Samad Bharati, and several representatives of the Shahīn Education Group, including Managing Director Abdul Haseeb and CEO Tausif Madikeri.
