Late Prof. James Roach, who had deeply admired the institution. After his passing, his daughter visited the centre and donated $10,000 in honour of her father's affection for the place. This generous donation was placed in a fixed deposit, and the interest generated continues to fund the James Roach Fellowship, which supports students pursuing their Ph.D. degrees.

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Formerly known as the American Studies Research Centre (ASRC), rechristened as Osmania University Centre for International Studies (OUCIS) is a picture of neglect and a pale shadow of its former self. Established in 1964 during the peak of the Cold War years, the centre, a cultural beacon is now struggling for survival.

Prof. Issac Sequeira (1930–2006), former director of ASRC proposed to the University Grants Commission (UGC) the establishment of ASRC. The university became the chosen site due to its academic reputation and strategic importance.

After the disintegration of USSR, the US government completely stopped funding ASRC in 1995 based on the belief that the world had shifted from a bipolar to a unipolar world and the intense ideological, political and cultural rivalry between USA and USSR had ended. Thus began the decay of ASRC in the early nineties.

Spread over five acres, OUCIS houses over 100,000 books on American literature, African American literature, politics, and culture. It operates without proper supervision, permanent staff, or librarians. Additionally, there are no CCTV cameras, leading to incidents of theft, including people jumping over the walls to steal copper wires and rare American books, some of which are irreplaceable.

About 60% of the library’s collection is in poor condition. Without digitization, the remaining books and resources are at risk of being lost, leaving future generations with limited access to these invaluable materials.

The centre did show signs of rejuvenation under former Director K. Nageshwar Rao (2017-23) with wide range of academic activities, including orientation programs, refresher courses, workshops, seminars, and both national and international conferences. During this period, nearly 42 lectures were conducted.

A notable highlight was the three-day All India Teachers Conference held in 2018, which brought together representatives from 25 universities and an 800-member delegation from across the country, showcasing the center's prominence and impact. Unfortunately, due to management challenges, the center has since ceased hosting courses, conferences, and other events.

Speaking to Metro India, former director Dr. K. Nageshwar Rao stated that less than 20% of the books in its collection can be found in any other library across the country. There is a need to revamp the research centre, which has made significant contributions to academia by supporting numerous PhD scholars and producing a large number of professors through its resources and programs.

He also underscored the importance of reinstating the non-functional CCTV cameras in the library premises. Additionally, Rao highlighted the urgent requirement of Rs 5 crore in funding from the state or central government to digitize the library’s collection and renovate the research center, which operates from a specially constructed building.