Hyderabad, Dec 28 (AHN) The 85th All India Industrial Exhibition, the popular annual trade fair of Hyderabad, will begin on January 1.

'Numaish', as one of the world's oldest annual consumer exhibitions is popularly known, will be inaugurated by Telangana's Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka.

State Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu told media persons on Sunday that 1,050 stalls will be set up on the sprawling Numaish Maidan for the annual 45-day-long exhibition.

All India Industrial Exhibition Society (AIIES) has allotted stalls to traders and various business organisations from different parts of the country to sell their products at the fair.

The organisers have hiked the entry fee to Rs 50 from Rs 40 per head.

Admission will be free for children below five years.

The Industries Minister noted that 'Numaish' carries forward a legacy built on enterprise, culture and shared public life.

"It remains a space where artisans, MSMEs, families and communities come together to experience innovation, tradition, and affordability in one place," he said.

"This year's 'Numaish' reflects a strong focus on safety, accessibility, and opportunity, especially for women entrepreneurs, while preserving the spirit that has made it a must-visit annual tradition for generations," Sridhar Babu said.

Every day the exhibition will be open for visitors from 4 to 10.30 p.m.

It will be open till 11 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Numaish-e-Masnuaat-e-Mulki, or Numaish in short, made a humble beginning in 1938 as an event to promote locally produced goods.

The seventh Nizam of Hyderabad State, Mir Osman Ali Khan, inaugurated the first 'Numaish'.

Enthused by the good response, it was decided to make it an annual event and use the earnings to promote education.

Beginning with just 50 stalls and a capital of Rs 2.50, it has today evolved into one of the biggest industrial exhibitions in the country.

It was a group of graduates from Osmania University who came up with the idea of an exhibition to conduct an economic survey of the state.

'Numaish' could not be organised in 1947 and 1948 due to the turmoil in the aftermath of India's Independence.

With Hyderabad acceding to the Indian Union, the event bounced back in 1949.

The exhibition could not be held in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

From amusement rides to shopping with good bargains and a variety of lip-smacking food, the annual event offers loads of fun and frolic.

In its 85th year, it is considered the mother of all carnivals -- and an integral part of Hyderabad's rich culture.

It draws people not just from the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad but from other parts of Telangana and even neighbouring states.

The fair begins on January 1 every year and continues for 45 days.

Traders from various parts of the country set up their stalls during the exhibition, which is visited by 45,000 people every day.

A unique blend of economy and culture, the event is organised on the sprawling grounds and revenues from the fair are spent on a group of educational and charitable institutions run by the Society.