Hyderabad set to host fashion-heritage gala at Residency building on January 16

Hyderabad is set for a fashion, cultural and heritage gala at the historic Residency building as part of the World Monuments Fund (WMF) event on Friday (January 16, 2026). The event is being celebrated to mark 60 years of WMF, 10 years of WMF in India and 30 years of Tarun Tahilian’s fashion label.  

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy is scheduled to grace the occasion and launch a ‘Telangana Heritage Partner’ scheme that establishes a transformative Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model designed to move beyond passive conservation and, instead, highlight historic structures as vibrant economic assets.

The WMF helped conserve the British Residency, which marked its completion in 2023. The WMF put the precinct of Musi River Historic Buildings on the 2025 World Monuments Watch just as the Telangana Government was trying to envision the riverfront as a cultural, leisure and economic hub. 

According to information, the State is likely to pitch for adoption of these heritage monuments by select corporates for adaptive reuse. The scheme aims for a long-term conservation strategy that leverages private funding and innovative revenue generation to reduce reliance on Government funds for sustainable management of heritage sites.

However, the gala at the Veeranari Chakali Ilamma Women’s University is an invite-only event.

“We kickstart the celebrations at the British Residency, in Hyderabad, a building that mirrors our design philosophy of India Modern. As a house rooted in Indian craft and couture, it feels only fitting that we return to this historic jewel to mark our milestone that pays homage to amalgamation of cultures. We are proud to present a journey of Indian fashion, from textile and embroidery to cut, silhouette and drape the very elements that have shaped my work over three decades (sic),” shared Tarun Tahiliani on social media.