logo
History in photographs at Bengaluru's Indian Institute of World Culture

History in photographs at Bengaluru's Indian Institute of World Culture

The Hindu4 days ago
India's fight for freedom triggered a ripple effect among other nations buckling under colonial oppression; and among these was the African nation of Congo. Patrice Lumumba was a Congolese politician who lead his country to independence and had close ties to Indian leaders of the time. A photo exhibition titled The Undying Flame of Patrice Lumumba, is currently on display in Bengaluru.
Organised by the Intercivilizational Dialogue Project and the Indian Institute of World Culture (IIWC) the show not only shines a spotlight on African freedom struggles, but also celebrates Patrice's birth centenary. Curated by Archishman Raju and Nandita Chaturvedi, and organised by Arakali Venkatesh at IIWC, the show is a history lesson in pictures.
According to Nandita, the purpose of this show is two-fold: to explore India's connection to the world and understand the exchange of ideas between different civilizations.
'At one point in time, Patrice Lumumba was known everywhere in the world and when he was assassinated in 1961, there were protests in all the major Indian cities. We felt it was important to bring this period in history back in to public awareness.'
During that times lost to recent history, the Indian government was involved in the crisis in the Congo and Nehru wrote many letters to the UN Secretary General. Large scale protests were also organised by Aruna Asaf Ali in Delhi.
'Following the assassination of Patrice, Nehru sent the Indian Army to help with the situation there. This was also part of the peace movement to let people all over the world know about the struggles against colonialism going on in different nations,' she says, adding that the Indian freedom movement became a case study for almost all of Africa that was under colonialism in 1947.
Ghana was one of the first sub Saharan African country to gain independence, largely through the efforts of Kwame Nkrumah, who employed methods of civil disobedience in their own struggle.
Though there are many examples of African leaders taking a page or two out of India's fight for freedom, the exhibition focuses on Patrice Lumumba, Kwame Nkrumah, Oliver Tambo of South Africa and Amilcar Cabral of Guinea Bissau, as well as WEB Du Bois, the father of the Pan African Movement.
Though leaders of the African movement studied India's approach, in many areas it took on a different character due to varying conditions. For instance, the Belgians did not train native Congolese in administration, while we had a 100-year-long struggle, which gave us time to prepare unlike many African nations which were left in chaos, says Nandita.
'The exhibition is also dedicated to ES Reddy, an Indian diplomat, who used to be leader of the UN Special Committee Against Apartheid from 1963 to 1965. Though he lived most of his life in the United States, he was deeply involved in the anti-apartheid struggle and may be better known in South Africa than in India today,' she adds.
As a student, Reddy participated in the Quit India movement, and while in the United States for higher studies, he met activist Paul Robeson, who got him involved in the African movement. Reddy also developed a close friendship with Oliver Tambo, one of the central figures in the South African movement.
'In a way, Reddy is a bridge between the two nations and the show is dedicated to him too as it was his birth centenary last year,' she adds.
The different rooms of the IIWC not only highlights the series of events that stand out during the freedom struggle of these nations, but also documents the alliances and mutual support between world leaders. Needless to say, the 65 photographs on display are mostly in black and white, interspersed with quotes from nation heads and a copy African National Congress Freedom Charter.
According to Nandita, a lot of the images on display have been made available by the United Nations and many of the photographers who believed their work served a broader purpose. These images can be accessed at www.media.un.org and www.archive.org.
'We are living in a time when the world is shifting and political relationships are being remade — both between the West and other nations as well as between nations that were once known as Third World. We feel useful relationships can lift people out of poverty and promote peace,' says Nandita talking about the purpose of behind such events by the Intercivilizational Dialogue Project.
The Undying Flame of Patrice Lumumba is on display at the Indian Institute of World Culture till July 25 (will possibly be extended / relocated). Entry free.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

India not ‘tariff king', says Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal
India not ‘tariff king', says Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal

Indian Express

time3 minutes ago

  • Indian Express

India not ‘tariff king', says Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal

Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal on Friday said that India can face competition and is not the 'tariff king', as India's average tariffs for the UK following the trade deal are set to drop to 3 per cent compared to the current levels of 15 per cent. Barthwal said at a press briefing that India and the UK have managed to strike the 'right balance between strengths and sensitivities', and that the government will begin capacity-building of exporters to make full use of the tariff concessions achieved in the UK trade deal. 'FTAs are done, but the gains from the concessions can only come through stakeholder involvement. We have got concessions in textiles, leather footwear and processed footwear sectors, where tariffs were as high as 70 per cent. Now, the Commerce and Industry Ministry will begin capacity-building of our exporters,' Barthwal said. Barthwal said that fears of dumping are unfounded, as the trade deal has rules of origin and product-specific rules in place to address such concerns, adding that the deal is expected to be ratified by the UK government within a year, as it must pass through both Houses of the British Parliament. 'The regulatory ecosystem between the two countries will also be improved. In this FTA, there are timelines as to when the mutual recognition agreement is supposed to be completed. This will improve certainty for businesses operating in both countries,' Barthwal said. Government officials said that India's major exports — from labour-intensive sectors like textiles, gems & jewellery, leather and footwear, machinery, pharmaceuticals, and processed foods — are set to gain a major edge with zero-duty access to the UK, improving the competitiveness of Indian goods in the UK market. 'The UK market opens up duty-free for nearly all Indian agri-exports, with just a few limited exceptions like pork, chicken, eggs, rice, and sugar. A golden opportunity for our farmers and agri-entrepreneurs to shine on a global stage,' the Commerce and Industry Ministry said. The ministry said India has safeguarded its sensitive sectors — dairy, cereals and millets, pulses, and vegetables to high-value items like gold, jewellery, lab-grown diamonds, and certain essential oils. 'Strategic exclusions also cover critical energy fuels, marine vessels, worn clothing, and critical polymers and their monofilaments, smartphones, optical fibres — a strong stand to protect farmers, MSMEs, and national interests,' the ministry said. Notably, India has opened 89.5 per cent of its tariff lines, covering 91 per cent of the UK's exports, and only 24.5 per cent of the UK's export value will enjoy immediate duty-free market access. 'Strategically important products — particularly those where domestic capacity is being built under flagship initiatives like Make in India and PLI — will see concessions over periods of 5, 7, or even 10 years with gradual tariff reduction,' the ministry said. Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Darpan Jain, said that the UK has offered its best FTA deal to India compared to all its trade partners in services adding that the UK has provided comprehensive and deep market access in 137 sub-sectors. India has a trade surplus of around $6.6 billion with the UK, with exports of $19.8 billion and imports of $13.2 billion in FY25. Jain said the UK's commitments on mobility are comprehensive and the best in any FTA. 'The UK has provided an assured mobility regime for various categories of natural persons: Business Visitors (BV) for all sectors — 90 days in any six-month period; Intra-Corporate Transferees (ICT) for all sectors including partner and dependent — three years.' The ministry said that the UK has accorded Indian suppliers a legal guarantee to participate in the UK procurement market — worth approximately $122 billion — for procurements conducted at the Central level of government and certain utilities. India, similarly, opens up a market opportunity of $114 billion. 'For the first time, the UK agreed to take a binding commitment to provide non-discriminatory treatment to our suppliers under the UK's Social Value regime. The UK's threshold for goods and services is approximately Rs 1.6 crore; India's threshold is approximately Rs 5.5 crore. For procurement related to construction services, both sides have agreed to a similar threshold of Rs 60 crore,' the ministry said. A government official said that India has taken a complete carve-out for its MSME preferential procurement policy. 'With respect to the Make in India policy, access to UK suppliers is restricted to eligibility to participate as deemed 'Class-II local suppliers' in domestic tenders above the agreed thresholds. Indian suppliers will continue to receive preferential treatment as 'Class-I local suppliers' in the UK,' the official explained.

Invite to VCs part of saffronising universities: Govindan
Invite to VCs part of saffronising universities: Govindan

Time of India

time17 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Invite to VCs part of saffronising universities: Govindan

Thiruvananthapuram: CPM state secretary M V Govindan said it was shameful for vice-chancellors to attend an RSS-organised Gyan Sabha attended by its chief Mohan Bhagawat. Speaking at a news conference on Friday, Govindan said the party would strongly oppose VCs attending the event aimed at continuing the state's saffronisation or communalisation. Inviting VCs was part of continuing saffronisation of universities, he added. "When EMS Namboodiripad was the chief minister, Kerala University vice-chancellor sought an appointment. But EMS said CM should ideally visit the VC. This is the tradition from which we come. But now, VCs are taking part in RSS meetings with enthusiasm. We strongly condemn this," he said. "Governor's saffronisation move has reached Sanskrit University. RSS members are notified as members of the syndicate. In Calicut and Veterinary University, the governor wants to induct Sangh Parivar members," Govindan said. Students' unions are protesting but UDF is not doing anything against saffronisation, something to be noted, he said. UDF seems ready to join hands with any religious supporters to weaken LDF, he alleged. Stating that state should be aware of the agenda, Govindan said society in general, democratic organisations and those inclined towards democracy are protesting against communalisation. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Top 15 World's Prettiest Star In The History Half Eddie Read More Undo Govindan said US President Donald Trump urging companies not to employ Indians and the Indo-UK deal, which cut import duties, will adversely affect Kerala. "Trump's declaration violates personal rights and is unsuitable for a modern society. Kerala will be affected the most because educated youth work in different sectors across the world. Jobs are being denied to them. Despite such heinous decisions by US, including on tariffs, Indian govt is towing the line of imperialists. The India-UK agreement, which has come into force, will impact state's general and agri economy," he said. "As per the agreement, import tariff will come down from 15% to 3%. This will affect Kerala in the long run. It will lead to uncontrolled imports to the country, including to Kerala. Despite this, central govt decided not to do anything about this," he added. Meanwhile, Fraternity Movement, the students' wing of Welfare Party, of Jamaat-e-Islami, said they would resort to strong protests if the vice-chancellors attended the RSS meet. In a statement, Fraternity Movement said they wouldn't allow the 'Hindutva-ization' of higher education sector.

Ceasefire With Pakistan Was Bilateral Decision, MEA Tells Parliament, Rejects Trump's Claims
Ceasefire With Pakistan Was Bilateral Decision, MEA Tells Parliament, Rejects Trump's Claims

News18

time28 minutes ago

  • News18

Ceasefire With Pakistan Was Bilateral Decision, MEA Tells Parliament, Rejects Trump's Claims

Last Updated: Minister of state for external affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh categorically denied any US role in facilitating the ceasefire Amid claims by US President Donald Trump that he was solely responsible for brokering peace between India and Pakistan, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) has clarified in Parliament that the ceasefire agreement of May 10 was entirely a bilateral decision reached after direct military-level talks initiated by Pakistan. Responding to a series of pointed questions from Congress MP Mohammed Javed, TMC MP Mala Roy, and others, the MEA laid out a detailed timeline of events. It stated that by May 8, India had successfully achieved its primary military objectives, including dismantling terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir, following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. From April 22 to May 10, Indian diplomats engaged in consultations with several global partners, including the United States. However, India consistently communicated that its actions were strategic, deliberate, and aimed at avoiding unnecessary escalation. Crucially, on May 9, Indian officials informed US Vice President JD Vance that any large-scale retaliation from Pakistan would be met with a firm and decisive Indian response. In Parliament, minister of state for external affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh categorically denied any US role in facilitating the ceasefire. He dismissed Trump's repeated assertions as baseless, including the claim that India's restraint was influenced by prospective trade deals with the US. Singh underlined that India's position on Kashmir remains unchanged—that it is a bilateral issue not open to third-party mediation, a message also conveyed to the United States President. The clarification comes after Trump, in numerous public appearances and campaign events in the US, claimed credit for 'bringing peace" to South Asia. He suggested his intervention helped prevent war and hinted that trade negotiations may have influenced India's decision to de-escalate. These claims ignited a political debate within India. Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, questioned whether India's strategic autonomy had been compromised. In response, external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar firmly rejected the allegations and reiterated that India's military and diplomatic decisions were entirely self-driven. The ceasefire came after Operation Sindoor, India's swift military response targeting terror infrastructure across the LoC and deep inside PoJK, following the Pahalgam terror attack. The government has emphasised that the ceasefire was declared only after its objectives were met, and not due to any external pressures. view comments First Published: July 26, 2025, 04:04 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store