Podcast Summary:

New Books Network – Daneesh Majid, "The Hyderabadis: From 1947 to the Present Day"
Date: March 9, 2026
Host: Neha Navarapu (co-hosted with Khadija Amenda)
Guest: Daneesh Majid
Book Discussed: The Hyderabadis: From 1947 to the Present Day (Harper Collins, 2025)

Episode Overview

This episode features journalist and author Daneesh Majid in conversation with hosts Neha Navarapu and Khadija Amenda about his new book, The Hyderabadis: From 1947 to the Present Day. The book, published by Harper Collins India, explores the modern history of Hyderabad by focusing on personal and oral histories rather than grand political narratives. Majid discusses his research process, the importance of foregrounding individual stories, the challenge of capturing diverse voices, and the nuances of Hyderabad’s socio-political and cultural evolution from Partition to the present day.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Daneesh Majid’s Path to Writing and Journalism

[02:06 - 06:24]

• Majid began writing in 2016, inspired by Raza Rumi, a mentor and Pakistani author, who encouraged him to publish personal stories in The Friday Times.
• His journalism skills were honed by contributing to various publications in India and abroad (notably The Wire, Mint Lounge, The Hindu).
• "Weaving in research with the narrative, it requires a lot of diligence and a certain flair... getting that journalistic flair, especially with respect to a long form narrative of sorts, that's where a real write up comes about." (Majid, 03:27)

2. Moving Beyond State-Centric and Binary Historiographies

[07:04 - 13:35]

• Majid intentionally departed from top-down, state-centric accounts of Hyderabad's past, seeking to narrate history through the lived experiences of everyday people.
• He critiques the binary opposition in existing narratives: one camp longing for a lost "paradise" of Asaf Jahi Hyderabad (often diaspora voices) and another presenting a simplistic oppressor-victim scenario influenced by nationalist and right-wing discourses.
• "Sometimes, you know, a lot of these oral histories, they bring nuances to, to these narratives that have unfortunately caught a lot of steam and gained currency in today's very polarizing times." (Majid, 12:40)

3. Curating Protagonists and Voices in the Book

[14:24 - 18:36]

• Choice of interviewees was affected by "access and deadlines" – Majid prioritized stories from elders before their memories were lost.
• Ensured diversity by including Hyderabadis who stayed, those who migrated (especially to Pakistan), as well as both Muslim and non-Muslim (notably Telangana Telugu) voices.
• Generous introductions and familial ties played a major role in access.
• "I made sure that there was this diversity among the subjects whom I chose because I mentioned in my last answer about, you know, not looking at everything through the binary." (Majid, 15:08)

4. The Challenge and Politics of Remembering Partition and 1948 "Police Action"

[20:47 - 26:42]

• Majid explores the "collective failure" to document and remember the trauma of Hyderabad's annexation by India, attributing it to social inertia, economic imperatives, and lack of publishing ecosystem awareness outside Hyderabad.
• He draws parallels between Hyderabadis and Sindhis in their post-trauma focus on economic survival over cultural remembrance.
• "In Sindhis all over India, they forgot their culture... so that they could really become whole again." (Majid, 24:34)

5. The Mulki/Non-Mulki Divide & Contemporary Migration

[27:10 - 30:16]

• Discusses the historic and ongoing "son of the soil versus outsider" tensions between Telangana Telugu and Andhra Telugu communities.
• Unlike more violent regionalisms elsewhere, Hyderabad’s ethos generally remained inclusive.
• "Everywhere you go there will always be that, you know, son of the soil versus outsider dynamic... but Anders haven't been kicked out... that's what I think is very special about Hyderabad city." (Majid, 29:31)

6. Marxism, Communism & the Telangana Struggle

[30:58 - 34:40]

• Outlines how Communist struggles shaped Telangana politics, including nuanced internal divisions between Andhra and Telangana cadres.
• Stresses the importance of not generalizing about Andhras as exploitative; many also contributed positively.
• "I wanted to solely shed light on that side of the Anda population that was very politically, politically and economically exploitative and that there were those who... also, you know, took in the culture as well too, the indigenous culture." (Majid, 34:34)

7. The Gulf Migration & Transnational Hyderabad

[35:59 - 41:48]

• Majid emphasizes the centrality but also the invisibility of Hyderabadi migration to the Gulf within Indian diasporic narratives.
• Gulf remittances played a pivotal role in Hyderabadi Muslim community's economic revival post-1948.
• Warns that declining opportunities in the Gulf may have serious implications for the community's future.
• "Without the Gulf, the Hyderabadi Muslim population would not be able to... have a presence in the real estate, education and various other economic sectors of Hyderabad, it's really allowed them to have a voice." (Majid, 38:40)

8. The Decline of Urdu and Literary Culture

[41:56 - 46:19]

• As laments the diminishing prominence of Urdu-medium education; only 14 of 1,800 private schools in Hyderabad teach in Urdu.
• Decline attributed to both the rise of English and internal community factionalism, lack of patronage, and historic feudal politics.
• "I think Hyderabadis are just as much to blame for this downfall as are a lot of other hostile parties." (Majid, 45:52)

9. Syncretism, Nostalgia, and Current Political Climate

[46:31 - 51:50]

• Explores how interviewees view religious and communal politics today—nostalgia for past harmony is often tempered by recognition of new and old patterns of polarization (e.g., rise of MIM and BJP).
• Traces historic roots of communal consolidation and electoral politics, drawing from personal and family testimonies.
• "The game is for the... most part the same. But the, the, the, the players changed." (Majid, 50:50)

10. Personal Touches & Symbolic Hyderabad

[50:57 - 52:16]

• Lighthearted discussion of iconic local spaces, e.g., Road Number 12’s renaming as Shivaji Maharaj Road, and their layered histories.
• "...despite being a place where you can get the most richest information about, you know, the cosmopolitan haven that Hyderabad was..." (Majid, 51:39)

11. Next Projects

[52:19 - 53:41]

• Majid is working on a translation of an Urdu biography from Jammu and Kashmir, though the project is currently delayed.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the book’s approach:
  "It was very important because a lot of these people centric histories we see about all that transpired in 47, 48, they're mostly limited to Punjab, Bengal, Sindh and North India... Hyderabad. There are many memories regarding what happened in the, in the 1948 police action... but they weren't chronicled or under chronicled, especially through more of a people centric lens..."
  – Danish Majid, 07:04

• On the challenges of communal memory:
  "We should have gotten these narratives chronicled, these testimonies written down before many who witnessed these very trying times died... First and foremost they say in Hindi slash Urdu, you have to, you know, kind of move on if you are to really, you know, succeed in life."
  – Danish Majid, 20:47

• On transnational flows:
  "Without the Gulf you were, the Hyderabadi Muslim population would not be able to, they would not be able to speak to the state... it's Gulf money that allowed Hyderabadi Muslims to have a presence in the real estate, education and various other economic sectors of Hyderabad."
  – Danish Majid, 38:40

• On the decline of Urdu:
  "When it came to really keeping the cause of Urdu alive, I don't think these people, you know, really put their... their petty squabbles where they belong... instead they let this factionalism, their rivalries just really permeate the Urdu milieu and a lot of talent... was left wanting for money."
  – Danish Majid, 43:55

• On communal politics:
  "This polarization had been happening even before Rami Zabi... Some people referred to Narendra as the Raja Singh of today, it just shows this is, it's just been a pattern that's been repeating all the time. The game is ... the same. But the ... players changed."
  – Danish Majid, 50:50

Timestamps for Major Topics

• [02:06] – Daneesh Majid’s introduction & writing journey
• [07:04] – Importance of personal and regional histories; critique of dominant narratives
• [14:24] – Curating protagonists and oral histories
• [20:47] – Failure to collectively remember Hyderabad’s Partition and 'police action'
• [27:10] – Mulki/non-Mulki divide and Telangana migration
• [30:58] – Marxism, Communism, and Telangana’s political struggles
• [35:59] – Transnational migration, the Gulf’s influence on Hyderabad
• [41:56] – Decline of Urdu in Hyderabad
• [46:31] – Syncretism, nostalgia, communal fractures, and contemporary politics
• [50:57] – Symbolic spaces in Hyderabad: Road Number 12
• [52:36] – Upcoming work and concluding remarks

Tone and Language

The conversation is lively, reflective, and insightful, balancing historical analysis with personal anecdotes and candid critiques. Majid’s style is both accessible and nuanced, engaging deeply with the complexities of Hyderabad’s layered social fabric.

For Further Reflection

This episode is essential listening (or reading) for anyone interested in South Asian history, oral history methodologies, migration, communal politics, or the sociocultural evolution of Indian cities. It highlights the power of personal stories to nuance dominant historical narratives, and the importance of continuing to document living memory before it is lost.

Suggested Next Steps

• Read The Hyderabadis: From 1947 to the Present Day for a full exploration of Majid’s research.
• Follow developments in Urdu literary revival and the transnational Hyderabadi diaspora.
• Watch for future works by Daneesh Majid, especially his anticipated translation project.