Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Thursday said Telangana must become a national leader in numismatics and heritage research. He spoke at a two‑day national seminar on “Coinage and Economy of Southern India” hosted by the Numismatics Society of India (NSI). The event took place at the Marri Channa Reddy Human Resource Development Institute.
Vikramarka said the state government aims to build Telangana into a centre of scientific study and cultural knowledge. He noted that Tourism and Excise Minister Jupally Krishna Rao leads this effort. He urged young researchers to pursue interdisciplinary work and encouraged greater cooperation between institutions.
Telangana’s rich coinage history
The Deputy Chief Minister highlighted South India’s long numismatic tradition. He pointed to the Satavahanas, Ikshvakus, Kakatiyas, and Vijayanagara Empire as examples of this heritage. “Coins represent statecraft, trade, and cultural innovation,” he said. “Each coin holds an entire miniature world of economy, royal aims, religious symbols, and trade routes.”
He compared ancient coins to modern “compressed data.” Then he added with a smile, “If archaeologists had found ZIP files in ancient times, they might have named them ‘coins.’”
Vikramarka also praised the Telangana Heritage Department for organising this seminar. He noted it is the first national seminar on coinage in the 114‑year history of the Archaeology and Museums department. He said this is a landmark moment for both Telugu states.
Discovery links Satavahanas to Telangana
Referring to recent finds in Koti Lingala, Vikramarka described a lead coin that features the Ujjain symbol and a Brahmi inscription naming a Satavahana ruler. He said this provides early evidence of the Satavahana presence in what is now Telangana.
He concluded by wishing the seminar productive discussions and new collaborations. “Studying coins is not studying metal,” he said, “it is studying the ideas and stories they carry.”
Several publications were released at the event, including Chanda: An Early Historic Site in Telangana, Art, Architecture and Iconography Salvaged from the Krishna–Tungabhadra Valley in Telangana, South Indian Fanams, and the 106th NSI Journal.
మర్రి చెన్నారెడ్డి మానవ వనరుల కేంద్రంలో న్యూ మిస్ మ్యాటిక్ సొసైటీ నిర్వహించిన “Coinage and Economy of Southern India” జాతీయ సదస్సులో పాల్గొనడం ఆనందంగా ఉంది.
భౌతిక నాణేలు కేవలం లోహపు ముక్కలు కాదు — అవి ఒక యుగం ఆర్థిక, సాంస్కృతిక, శాస్త్రీయ చరిత్రకు ప్రతిబింబాలు. నాణేల పరిశోధనలో… pic.twitter.com/jNTpzgXLCh
— Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu (@Bhatti_Mallu) December 11, 2025