In Indore, a home for the Pravasis who fought for India’s independence

Titled ‘Contribution of Diaspora in Indian Freedom Struggle’, the technology-heavy exhibition, spread over 10,000 sq feet, is being pitched as the centrepiece of the venue, aiming to inculcate, what officials call, a feeling of “nationalism and oneness among persons of Indian origin”.

Starting with Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi as “the first Pravasi” – who reached Bombay on January 9, 1915, after living in South Africa for more than two decades – it highlights the contribution of 150 such ethnic Indians to the Independence struggle, covering 50 countries, officials say. It was in 2003 that the government decided to celebrate January 9 every year as Pravasi Bharatiya Divas to mark Gandhi’s return to India.

Official sources say the list of PIOs whose contributions are being highlighted have been sourced by the Ministry of External Affairs through its missions abroad. Besides the popular PIOs including Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Swami Vivekananda, the focus is on highlighting lesser-known heroes of the freedom struggle, who may not have lived in India always, but their contribution to the homeland needs to be acknowledged, say officials.

For instance, there is a corner for Shyamji Krishna Varma from Gujarat, who founded the India House and The Indian Sociologist in 1905. India House emerged as a meeting point for radical nationalists among Indian students in Britain.

The design, planning and execution of the exhibition has been done by Delhi-based firm Tagbin, which has earlier worked with the government on flagship projects such as the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya in Delhi, and Netaji’s hologram statue at India Gate.

Saurav Bhaik, Founder & CEO of Tagbin, told The Sunday Express, “There is extensive use of technology such as holograms, virtual reality, levitation and artificial intelligence in the exhibit” for which they were given three months to execute the project.

While the first two months were devoted to research and collection of material, the actual production of the exhibit happened in the last one month, he says, adding that once they got the names and basic sketches from MEA, the team of researchers reached out to the National Archives of India and the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library for archival material.

The temporary museum space at the venue – the Brilliant Convention Centre – has been divided into several sections. The opening section focuses on the contribution of personalities like Gandhi, Vivekananda and Dadabhai Naoroji who was elected to the British Parliament in 1892, becoming the first Indian to do so. Gandhi comes alive as a hologram, wherein one of his famous speeches from 1931 has been recreated.

Not everyone left India by choice, says an official involved with the project, adding that during British rule, many Indians were forced to leave India in search of livelihood or to evade persecution, while many were sent out as indentured labourers to countries like Mauritius, Fiji, Suriname and Guyana. The convention has the Presidents of Guyana and Suriname, as the Chief Guest and the Special Guest of Honour, respectively.

There is also a special section on Bhikaji Cama, who helped in India’s freedom struggle, while a part of the exhibition is also devoted to Bose and Azad Hind Fauj.

Tagbin was also tasked with setting up interactive kiosks for the visiting NRIs – which includes clicking selfies with famous Pravasis, a mirror which tells you which Pravasi do you resemble, and a counter wherein you take a pledge for the Amrit Kaal, Bhaik says.

Besides, every evening, there will be a 20-minute light and sound show on the building’s facade – in English and Hindi – on the theme of ‘Gauravshaali Bharat: From Ancient India to G20 Presidency’. The temporary museum will later be turned into a permanent feature in the state, Bhaik says, adding that locations in Indore and Bhopal are being considered for it.

During the three-day event, a commemorative postal stamp ‘Surakshit Jaayen, Prashikshit Jaayen’ will also be released to underline the importance of safe, legal, orderly and skilled migration.

On the concluding day, President Droupadi Murmu will confer Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards 2023.

As partner state, the Madhya Pradesh government has also curated tourism offerings for the visiting NRIs including complimentary entry to all state-run archaeological museums, monuments and national parks; and shuttle service for the Ujjain Mahakal temple to visit the newly inaugurated Mahakal Lok Corridor.