“Partition Horrors Remembrance Day” Exhibition Gallery inaugurated at Vijayawada Railway Station

Exhibition Galleries set up at 13 Stations across of Vijayawada Division

South Central Railway, Vijayawada Division as a part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav has set up a Special Exhibition Gallery on 14th August, 2023 at Old Booking office Concourse, East Main entrance of Vijayawada Railway Station depicting the pictures of Partition Horrors Remembrance Day witnessed during the year 1947. Shri Narendra A Patil, Divisional Railway Manager, Vijayawada Division graced the occasion. Smt. Pingali Suseela, Grand Daughter-in-Law of Legendary Shri Pingali Venkayya Garu and Shri Srirama Raju, grandson of The Great Shri Alluri Seetharama Raju Garu were the Chief Guests.  Shri M Srikanth, ADRM, Operations and Shri D Srinivasa Rao and Branch officers also took part in the event. Smt. Pingali Suseela, and Shri Srirama Raju inaugurated the Exhibition gallery in the presence of Shri Narendra A. Patil, DRM.

In this culminating year of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM), when the Nation completes 76 years of Independence, the Partition Horrors Remembrance Day is being observed throughout the country on 14th August, 2023. The Partition Horrors Day Exhibition has been envisaged by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India to bring to light the agony, suffering and pain of millions of people who were the sufferers of partition.

Addressing the gathering, Shri Narendra A Patil, Divisional Railway Manager said that the exhibition is set up to remind the country of the largest displacement of human population in the last century, which also claimed the lives of a large number of people. DRM stated that Railways played key role in freedom struggle and was mode common mode of transport and ray of hope for millions during the partition. Keeping in mind the vast outreach of Indian Railways, the exhibition gallery was planned by Vijayawada Division at across 13 Railway Stations – Vijayawada, Machilipatnam, Eluru, Rajahmundry, Kavali, Bhimavaram Town, Tenali, Bapatla, Ongole, Gudur, Tuni, Anakapalle and Kakinada Town to sensitize and educate the travelling public about the pain and agony endured by our ancestors. DRM shared that Digital museums are also set up at Vijayawada, Nellore and Rajahmundry. 

Shri Narendra A Patil also said that this is an occasion to express solidarity with millions of people who lost their lives and displaced due to the painful partition. DRM appealed to the public to get inspired from the sacrifices of millions, who showed unparalleled resilience and courage in the face of adversity and collectively strive for promoting unity harmony, peace, tranquillity and building a Stronger Nation. Shri Narendra A. Patil presented mementoes and thanked Smt. Pingali Suseela and Shri Srirama Raju for gracing the occasion at Vijayawada. 

Earlier, Bharat Scouts & Guides of Vijayawada Division Students performed group dance and enacted a play on Shri Alluri Seetharama Raju – The Great Indian Revolutionary and Leader of Rampa Rebellion. The travelling public got completely engrossed and watched it in awe and gave thumping applause for their stupendous performance. 

In the end, Shri Narendra A Patil paid homage to statue of Shri Pingali Venkayya at main entrance and released Tricolour balloons along with Smt. Pingali Suseela and Shri Alluri Srirama Raju to mark the occasion.

Shri M Bala Muralidhar, Sr. DPO; Shri Rambabu Vavilapalli, Sr.DCM; Shri S Varun Babu, Sr. DEN, Co-ord; Shri Ram Chandra Sahoo, Sr. DEnHM; Dr. E V Shiva Rama Krishna, Sr. DFM; Shri, J Srinath, Sr.DSO; Shri K Sridhar, DEN/East; Shri PBN Prasad, Station Director; Ms. Nusrat M Mandrupkar, PRO; Inspectors and Staff participated in the inauguration ceremony.