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@Evening: 🏛️ Nehru Memorial Museum & Library Renamed, As Nehru's Name Is Dropped

Karan KambleJun 16, 2023, 08:01 PM | Updated 08:01 PM IST
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Prime Ministers Museum

Over a year after the launch of a museum dedicated to all the prime ministers of India at the Teen Murti Complex comes another major change.

Context: The Nehru Museum Memorial and Library (NMML), named after India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, has been renamed as the Prime Ministers' Museum and Library Society.

  • The decision was made during a special meeting of the NMML Society on Thursday.

  • The meeting was presided over by the vice president of the society, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

  • The society's 29 members include its chairman PM Narendra Modi and several Union Ministers, like Amit Shah, Nirmala Sitharaman, Dharmendra Pradhan, G Kishan Reddy, and Anurag Thakur.

  • NMML is housed within the Teen Murti Complex.

  • Teen Murti House. It was originally built in 1929-30 as part of Edwin Lutyens’ imperial capital.

    • It was the official residence of the Commander-in-Chief in India.

  • After independence, it became the official residence of Jawaharlal Nehru, in 1948.

  • Nehru lived there until his death on 27 May 1964.

  • Subsequently, it was decided that the complex would be dedicated to Nehru and would house a museum and library.


  • The NMML Society was established two years later to manage the museum and has existed ever since.

  • New museum takes centre stage. In 2016, PM Modi proposed establishing a new museum dedicated to all the prime ministers of India on the Teen Murti premises.

    • Despite opposition from the Congress, the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya was built on campus and, on 21 April 2022, inaugurated by PM Modi.

  • In response, former PM Manmohan Singh wrote a letter to PM Modi expressing his concerns about an "agenda" to “change the nature and character” of the NMML and the Teen Murti Complex.

  • Now, after the change of name, the Congress is fuming once again.

  • Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Jairam Ramesh allege that PM Modi and the BJP are trying to belittle Nehru's contribution.

  • Rationale for name change. The executive council felt that the museum's name should reflect the institution's current form and activities, a statement said.

    • This is in reference to the sangrahalaya, which depicts the collective journey of democracy in Independent India and highlights each Indian prime minister's contribution to nation-building.

  • Describing the prime minister as an institution, Rajnath Singh emphasised that all the colours of a rainbow should be proportionately represented in order to make it beautiful.

  • This recognition of all prime ministers is an effort to democratise institutional memory, NMML executive council chairman Nripendra Misra said.

  • 🗣️ "The resolution has given a new name, respect to all our previous prime ministers and is democratic in content." — a Ministry of Culture statement

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