IIT Hyderabad Leads in Preservation of Historical Monuments

IIT Hyderabad is preserving ancient arts and historical monuments in digital form using advanced technology. The central government has entrusted this responsibility to 80 Design Innovation Centres (DICs) across the country, with IIT Hyderabad’s DIC serving as the nodal centre. Over the past two years, the institute has been actively digitising historical structures, folk traditions, ancient arts, customs, and festivals from Telangana and Tamil Nadu. A Virtual Reality Lab (VRL) has been established for this initiative, where PhD scholars and students, under the guidance of DIC Head Deepak John Mathew, are contributing to the project.

Using technologies like 3D scanning and LiDAR, several iconic sites such as Ramappa Temple, Warangal Fort, Medak Church, and Medak Fort have already been digitally archived. The team is also preserving oral histories from the Qutb Shahi era through 360-degree virtual reality animations. Traditional crafts such as Nirmal paintings, Nakashi art, Karimnagar silver filigree, Pochampally Ikat, Gadwal and Narayanpet handloom sarees are also being documented. Students have spent months in tribal regions like Utnoor in Adilabad district to record the customs of the Oja tribe. According to the team, viewing these visuals through VR glasses offers an immersive, real-time experience of these cultural treasures.