World War 1 memorabilia exhibition opens in Delhi

New Delhi: Photographs, videos, memorabalia and several belongings of about seven lakh Indian soldiers who served in the First World War are on display in an exhibition that opened on Monday.

The month-long exhibition titled "India and the First World War," was inaugurated by Secretary, Culture Ministry, Ravinder Singh.

Among the items on display are uniforms, ceremonial waistcoats, flasks, map cases, knives and khukris, cigarette packs, utensils, biscuit and cardboard boxes, first-aid kits, gauze, bandage and badges to name a few items used by the soldiers 100 years ago.

"With this exhibition we look forward to make the Indian citizens aware of the bravehearts who fought in the War and the reason which drove them to fight the war. We would want to take this exhibition throughout the world especially to France," Singh said.

The images for the exhibition have been sourced from all over the world primarily from Imperial War Museum, British Library, London, French Military Archives, Flanders Museum, Belgium and many other private collections internationally.

Besides, there will also be a section featuring sound recordings and silent movies of the Indian soldiers made between 1914 and 1918.

A book, "India and the First World War housing the pictures and other details of the soldiers was also presented to the Secretary and other guests by Pramod Kapoor of Roli Books.

The book was a product of the research conducted by Roli Books with the help of various people including Param Vir Chakra awardee Subedar Yogender Singh Yadav of the 18th Grenadiers Regiment.

"The book took almost three years to be published and has rare pictures. While some pictures were perfect even after 100 years, some had to be modified for the exhibition and for publishing in the book," Kapoor said.

The exhibition has been organised in association with Roli Books, the French Embassy and Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).

"We wish to take the exhibition to France because we still celebrate the end of the War every year with special commemoration of the Indian troops. We are also planning to hold high profile events for this purpose," Francois Richier, Ambassador of France said.