Hyderabad: Osmania University is all set to host its centenary celebrations from April 26 to 28. President Pranab Mukherjee will be attending the event as chief guest on the first day. Besides cultural programmes, the event will host various seminars and lectures on the university's role in shaping the regions political and cultural aspects.

Special officer for the centenary celebrations H. Venkateshwarlu said the university which was established in 1917 with just 25 faculty members and 225 students, currently has over 10,000 students and 1,200 teaching staff.

"The President will be the chief guest for the centenary celebrations. He will be coming on April 26. This is one of the top universities with over 720 affiliated colleges in its fold," the special officer said.

Wilfred Sewen Blunt, an educationist from Great Britain originally proposed a university in the erstwhile Nizam's dominion. The then home secretary Akbar Hydari Ali, made a petition to the then ruler Nizam VII Mir Osman Ali Khan to set up a university and the king issued an order on April 26, 1917 for the establishment of Osmania University.

Maharashtra governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, union minister Bandaru Dattatreya, Telangana chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and MIM chief and Lok Sabha Member from Hyderabad Asaduddin Owaisi and former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao are among the prominent personalities of the university alumni.