'Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya' shows PM Nehru's role as institution builder: Nehru Memorial Chairman Nripendra Misra
Apr 13, 2022
By Rajnish Singh
New Delhi [India], April 13 : A day ahead of the inauguration of 'Pradhanmantri Sanghralaya', an endeavour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to recognise all Prime Minister's contributions, the Chairperson of the Executive Council of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) Nripendra Misra said the museum shows "role of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru as an institution builder".
Misra, a former Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister and a retired 1967-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, told ANI that 'Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya' (Prime Ministers' Museum) will open its doors on April 14 with its uniqueness to showcase in detail the lives, works and efforts done by all Prime Ministers from PM Nehru to Manmohan Mohan Singh as well as many other things of democratic values.
Specifically focussing on some specific unique features of 'Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya', Misra mentioned, "It is said that Prime Minister Nehru played a major role in building democratic institution in the country and he believed in each and every institution and convention."
As PM Nehru strengthened the roots of democratic institutions, the NMML Chairman said, "All these things we have shown in the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya that what was his role as an institution builder".
Misra, who was appointed as chairperson of the executive council of the NMML in January 2020, further said "the Prime Minister's museum has to be developed more big".
"It will become a think tank in a way. I think it is a house of democracy. If the topics of democracy are discussed here, then this museum will be worthwhile and we will be able to adapt to the expectations of all our Prime Ministers here," he said.
"And it will be such an effort that a democratic ray continues to emerge from these two buildings (NMML and Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya) and the country should get its benefit," said Misra, 76.
Asked about the unique things about 'Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya', Misra said the "objective was that we must definitely respect the museum (Nehru Memorial Museum and Library) that has been built for our first Prime Minister. At the same time, we aimed to show his biography and the time of his leadership in detail."
"And it will be such an effort that a democratic ray continues to emerge from these two buildings (NMML and Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya) and the country should get its benefit."
The retired bureaucrat said, "Whatever events have happened since 1947 are also shown here in Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya".
He later described how present Principal Secretary PMO PK Mishra had asked his views on selecting him as Chairman of the executive body of NMML, saying "I was shocked for a few moments as I was not mentally ready for this post."
"Then I balanced myself and said that I accept the responsibility that I will give be given by Prime Minister (Narendra Modi)."
In the old building, Misra said, "We have captured many democratic forms like how our Constitution was made, who contributed in the making of Constitution, what are the present rule and main points of Constitution, how our election commission is unique in the world and there is no example like that. So all these things have been shown on the ground floor in a detailed way.
On the first floor, Misra said, "Prime Minister Nehru's private wing was already maintained. This private wing included his bedroom, study room and the rooms related to his family".
"Nehru ji's private wing was kept as it is, at the same time, we tried to conserve it by using today's technical method. It has been taken care of how we can provide refreshing features to it. We were not satisfied with these only," he said.
In the end, we have also conserved the foreign gifts received by all Prime Ministers in 'Toshakhana' in the NMML building.
