Book ‘Revisiting Partition’ launched on Partition Horrors Remembrance Day at IGNCA

In series of events marking ‘Partition Horrors Remembrance Day’, IGNCA launched a book named “Revisiting Partition: Tales of Displacement, Horror, Negotiation and Reconciliation” edited by Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi and Prof. Ravi Prakash Tekchandani and published by IGNCA.

The chief guest of the event was the Minister of State for Culture and External Affairs, Meenakshi Lekhi.

The special guest of the event was Prof. Amita Dev, Vice Chancellor, Indira Gandhi Delhi Technological Women University.

The editors of the book Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary, IGNCA, Prof. Ravi Prakash Tekchandani, University of Delhi and Prof. K. Anil Kumar, HoD, Janpada Sampada, were present along with eminent dignitaries.

Meenakshi Lekhi while speaking on the occasion of book launch said that what India received was not independence but ‘Dominion Status’ on the pretext of partition.

"The real facts about partition were removed deliberately from the pages of history," she said.

She reiterated that there should be serious documentation and research on the aspects of partition. She also shared personal anecdotes related to partition and added that the biggest displacement happened through Montgomery district.

Lekhi continued in the same vein and said women who had the strength and empowered by all means in erstwhile United India had to leave their home and hearth and run without wearing slippers.

"The circumstances in which people came here in India none of them chose wrong means for livelihood or became plunderers rather partition is the story of resilience and strength of character of the survivors," the minister said.

She concluded by saying that many mistakes were made during the times of partition, generations lost their lives and homes which they built by their hard work and we gave it up by one signature.

Dr. Amita Dev's family also went through the horrors of ‘partition’, which is why she broke down in tears while narrating the story of her family's displacement and struggle during Partition.

She said that it was necessary to remember the horrors of partition so that the coming generations could feel the pain involved in it.

Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi said in his address that small tragedies have also been recorded in history, but one of the biggest human tragedies in history, the tragedy of ‘Partition of India’ did not find that place in history due to various political reasons.

He also said the book is an organizational effort to research and document the partition which will enable people to learn about the forgotten tragedy. 

To mark ‘Partition Horrors Remembrance Day’ film screening was organized by IGNCA's Media Centre for the second consecutive year.

In this screening, three films based on the theme of ‘partition’ were screened, which have been awarded in the film competition organized by the Media Centre.

The first prize went to Namita Sachdev's film ‘Prasidh Kahaniyan’, the second prize to Amit Kumar Sharma's film 'Vibhajan Ka Aakhri Natak' and the third prize to Swapan Kumar Sarkar's Bengali film 'Amar Desh Amar Maa'.

A good number of short and documentary films were sent by many filmmakers in this film competition, out of which three were selected for screening and award.

The audience was moved by watching these films which presented the pain of partition in a poignant manner and felt the pain that the victims of partition had to go through.