PM Modi inaugurates Int’l Museum Expo 2023 in Delhi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said his government has prioritised preservation of the country’s heritage and lamented that enough efforts were not made in this direction post Independence.

Addressing a gathering after inaugurating the International Museum Expo 2023 at Pragati Maidan here, he also flagged the issue of “smuggling and appropriation” of ancient Indian artefacts, while asserting that amid India’s growing prestige in the world, various countries have now started returning heritage artefacts belonging to India.

Modi cited examples of the statue of Maa Annapurna that was stolen from Varanasi, which has come back to country, the statue of Mahishasurmardini from Gujarat, the idols of Nataraja built during the Chola Empire, and the sword decorated with the name of Guru Hargobind Singh Ji.

“Before and after Independence, severally artefacts were taken out of India in an unethical manner. We will have to work together to stop such a crime,” he said.

During the event, Modi also unveiled the mascot of the International Museum Expo, a graphic novel titled “A Day at the Museum” produced with Amar Chitra Katha, a directory of Indian museums, a pocket map of Kartavya Path, and a pack of cards themed on various museums of India.

The inaugural function coincided with the International Museum Day which falls on May 18.

In his address, Modi expressed confidence that this will be a “turning point” in the museum culture of India. He said a lot of the heritage of the land was lost during the period of slavery which lasted for hundreds of years, when ancient manuscripts and libraries were burnt to the ground, adding this was not just a loss to India, but the heritage of the entire world, a loss to the humanity.