Telangana Martyr’s Memorial, eternal ‘lamp’ of supreme sacrifices

The memorial is shaped like a steel diya (lamp) with an infinite flame at the top, which will allow it to be seen from a distance.

Hyderabad: When well-known artist Ramana Reddy was asked to come up with a unique design for a monument in honour of the martyrs of Telangana, there were plenty of designs he came up with and discarded. However, one evening during Diwali, after another brainstorming session for designs, the shape of the diya and the flame that enveloped it struck him.

To him, the diya and its light signified the sacrifice of the people who gave their life towards the cause of Telangana’s struggle. He began to sketch a design that aspired to be one of the largest seamless steel structures in the world and will come to be called Telangana Martyr’s Memorial.

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“In my travels across different countries, I have come across many awe-inspiring structures. But one structure that particularly stayed with me was the Cloud Gate in Chicago which was designed by Anish Kapoor. I revisited the place again for a closer look some years ago,” shares Ramana Reddy who says that the initial design of a star-shaped building had some practical issues.

His vision finally took form in the steel structure that will be inaugurated on the Hussainsagar Lake’s banks in the near future. The main structure is spread across 85,000 sft in a 3.29-acre land.

The memorial is shaped like a steel diya (lamp) with an infinite flame at the top, which will allow it to be seen from a distance. Beautiful gardens and landscaping with a fountain will greet the visitors on their approach to the monument.

“All over the world, light is a symbol of tribute. When I decided on this design, my idea was a futuristic structure that has a function and utility,” says Ramana Reddy, a sculptor and artist and who has been associated with Hyderabad Art Society since its inception.

The structure made of highest grade stainless steel cladding will house a museum that will display significant events of Telangana’s struggle of 1969 and the final leg of the movement during the 2000s. There is going to be a convention centre, a restaurant on the upper deck, and a gallery for visitors who want to take a look at the flame.

“I think the biggest challenge we faced was the practicality of the design since it has to look seamless and yet not be claustrophobic from the inside. For a seamless appearance, the steel cladding from Dubai was joined using laser-robotic welding. Even a single error could have affected the appearance of the structure,” concludes Ramana Reddy.