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ABOUT US

The records series in the Andhra Pradesh State Archives started from Mughal Records. These records were formerly in the Mughal Central Governor’s Archives in Qila-i-Arak (Aurangabad Fort) in Aurangabad. As a matter of fact, Aurangzeb (1658-1707) spent the last 30 years of reign in the Deccan and Aurangabad was almost a defacto capital of Mughal India. The Mughal daftars which were established by Aurangazeb in Aurangabad Subs; one of which was set up in the Qila-I-Ark in 1695 A.D. was the precursors of Daftar-i-Diwani.

The Andhra Pradesh State Archives and Research Institute was established in 1303 F / 1893-94 A.D. , when the entire records of Daftar-i-Diwani in one of the fourteen old Daftars (Administrative offices) were created about the year 1721 and was held on hereditary basis. Among the Daftars, the most important was Daftar-i-Diwani which was looked after Rai Rayan in 1894. The entire records of Daftar-i-Diwani and other daftars were taken over by the Nizam Government and named it as Daftar-i-Diwani. The Daftar-i-Diwani in 1924 was raised to the Status of Directorate functioning from the Hyderabad Secretariat Building. Daftar-i-Diwani, the Directorate, was renamed as Central Record office on 14^th December, 1950 functioned in Errammanzil, a Private residence of Nawab Fakhr-ul-Mulk. The Department of Central Record Office was renamed as State Archives on the pattern of National Archives of India in 1962 functioning of its own, building was constructed suitable to Archival set up and administration in the Osmania University Campus on a Five Acres (2.02 Sectors) site leased by Osmania University and it was occupied in October, 1965

The Department has been recognized as Research Institute by Osmania University in 1992 and renamed as Andhra Pradesh State Archives and Research Institute. Andhra State was formed with its capital on 1^st October, 1953. The records pertaining to Andhra Districts of erstwhile Madras State were separated and transferred to Kurnool. According to the recommendations of State Reorganisation Commission, the State of Andhra Pradesh was formed on 1^st November, 1956. After formation of Andhra Pradesh , the Andhra Record Office was continued as a branch of the Central Record Office at Kurnool till 31^st April, 1957 and it was merged with Central Record office on 1^st May, 1957 and the G.Os., pertaining to the period 1920-1952 were transferred to Central Record Office, Erramanzil, Hyderabad.