The Minister of State for Culture (Independent Charge) and Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Mahesh Sharma inaugurated an exhibition on “INDIA @ 70: THE JAMMU & KASHMIR SAGA” on the occasion of 70 years of Accession of Jammu & Kashmir to India, in New Delhi today. The month-long exhibition has been curated by the National Archives of India of Ministry of Culture.
The Culture Minister, Dr. Mahesh Sharma appreciated the efforts of National Archives of India to bring out the details of the accession of Jammu & Kashmir to India in such an interesting and lively manner. The beautifully curated exhibition will help the youth of the country to understand how various princely states were integrated into India, the Minister explained.
Dr. Mahesh Sharma highlighted the role played by the leaders of Indian freedom movement, Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. The minister said It is as a result of their efforts that the country is now moving ahead as a nation under the leadership of Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi as “Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat”. Jammu & Kashmir is an integral part of India and how this integration was brought about has been wonderfully depicted in this exhibition organized by National Archives of India, Dr. Mahesh Sharma added.
Through this interactive Digital Exhibition, the National Archives of India has aimed to portray the historical narrative of the Kashmir Conflict, sensitizing the younger generation and creating awareness about the heroism, valour, and sacrifice of our Armed forces and civilians.
The exhibition invites the public to step through the passages of 1947-48 with original letters, telegrams, and archival rare documents pertaining to the Kashmir Imbroglio. Accompanying these display are rare vintage photographs, documentaries maps, soldiers’ maps, newspapers reports, a large number of books on Kashmir that depict history at its most dramatic yet humbling moments. The stories span through the circumstances that led to the accession of Jammu & Kashmir to subsequent actions that protected the integrity and restored peace in the State of Jammu & Kashmir.
The History Division, Ministry of Defence have also contributed by way of providing valuable inputs and rare operational records including war diaries, dispatches etc. of Jammu and Kashmir Operations, 1947-48 put in public domain for the first time.
In view in the exhibition are rare documents like The Treaty of Lahore, 11 March 1846, The Treaty of Amritsar, 16 March 1846, the Instrument of Accession, 27 October 1947, Standstill Agreement between the newly independent dominions of India and Pakistan and the Princely states of the British India prior to their integration in the new dominion. The list of winners of Paramvir Chakra, Vir Chakra, and their stories, the Jammu and Kashmir Story through Shankar’s eye are other attractions in the exhibition.
The exhibition has been organized at the National Archives of India, Janpath, New Delhi. It is open for free public viewing on all days including Sundays (10 am to 5.30 pm) until 10 February 2018.
