A multi-departmental committee has been set up to examine the acquisition and preservation of India House, Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar said on Wednesday
The property was also once home to Indian freedom fighters, including Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. Pic/X
The Maharashtra government has announced plans to acquire the historic “India House” in London and preserve it as a memorial, Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar said on Wednesday, according to the PTI.
The property was once home to Indian freedom fighters, including Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.
Shelar also made the announcement in a post on X.
Shelar wrote, "A joint meeting was held at the Mantralaya with the concerned officials and MLA Devyani Farande in attendance. It was decided to form a committee under the chairmanship of Mitra, which will include representatives from the General Administration Department, Cultural Affairs Department, Archaeology Department, and Finance Department. The committee has been instructed to prepare a comprehensive report on acquiring India House, which will then be submitted to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for consideration and further action."
Ashish Shelar stated that Indian residents in London had highlighted the significance of the building during his recent visit. Following this, a joint review meeting was held at the ministry, attended by Nashik MLA Devyani Farande and officials from the general administration, cultural affairs, and archaeology departments.
A multi-departmental committee has been set up to examine the acquisition and preservation of India House.
The committee will prepare a comprehensive report for Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, covering legal, financial, and administrative aspects of taking the property under state control, reported the PTI.
India House, founded in the early 20th century as a student residence, later became associated with Indian revolutionary activity and several nationalist figures. Officials stated that once acquired, the property will be conserved and developed as a memorial recognising its role in India’s anti-colonial movement.
Earlier this year, the Maharashtra government had acquired the famous Raghuji Sword of 18th-century Maratha general Raghuji Bhonsle for ₹47.15 lakh at a London auction, which was repatriated to Mumbai in August.
In a related announcement, Shelar confirmed that plans are underway to construct a grand memorial to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj at Sangameshwar in Ratnagiri district. The memorial will be built in phases on a five-acre site for the main monument, with an additional two acres earmarked for parking and ancillary facilities.
Former MLA Pramod Jathar suggested that the memorial be made more imposing, comparable to the Statue of Unity.
Ashish Shelar instructed that work on the main monument be prioritised and asked for a detailed plan for visitor facilities and surrounding development.
(with PTI inputs)
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