1857 mutiny: War heroes of Tirhut to get place at LKA museum

The unsung 1857 war heroes from the state’s Tirhut Division would be restored to a place of honour and glory by the ministry of culture’s National Lalit Kala Akademi (LKA), officials said.

A museum cum art gallery has been planned by the LKA, Delhi at the Cellular Jail in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where the portraits of such slain persons, who took part in the wars from 1857 to 1947, would be put on display along with their biography.

At present, only names of the freedom fighters deported by the then British rulers are on display at the Cellular Jail.

Among these political leaders and freedom fighters who were exiled to the Cellular Jail between 1857 to 1947, there were 27 freedom fighters from Tirhut, according to officials concerned. Their names were recently included in the Dictionary of Martyrs: India’s Freedom Struggle (1857-1947), published by the Indian Council for Historical Research and the ministry of culture.

“People have been aware of the contributions of some prominent people, while many others’ sacrifices have remained obscured till date. We want to give them justice and have planned a museum cum art gallery at Cellular Jail. It’s been carrying only the names of the freedom fighters who spent years and died at the jail,” Dr Uttam Pacharne, protem chairman of the Lalit Kala Akademi, Delhi, said.

Besides this, the LKA has also come up with a plan to help visual artists who have been affected by Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown. “We have planned virtual art camps of 100 artists every month. The LKA will pay them some amount while participants will submit one or two of their works to the LKA,” he said.