By: C.P. Belliappa
A first-of-its-kindmuseum has been established at the OP Jindal Global University (JGU) in Sonipat, Haryana, to mark the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of India. The museum is a Living Museum that will keep enriching its already vast collection of memorabilia, documents, photographs, and artwork related to the history of India in general and the progress of drafting the Constitution of India in particular.
The museum was inaugurated on 26 November 2024 (Constitution Day). As a thoughtful gesture, the organizers invited the descendants of the Constitution’s framers to participate in the event at JGU’s sprawling campus. My sister, Dr Kavery Poonacha Nambisan, and I were invited to represent our father, C.M. Poonacha, who represented Coorg in the Constituent Assembly. The Constituent Assembly was formed in December 1946 comprising 300 members. My father, aged 36 at the time, was one of the youngest members of the august body. He gave up his studies when he was 20 and joined the freedom movement. He held many important positions post-independence. However, two events in his life he cherished the most were: being in the central hall of the parliament on 15 August 1947 when India became independent, and the other was signing the Constitution of India on 26 November 1949.
In a noteworthy display, the busts of 300 signatories to the Constitution are exhibited in the museum. The array of busts made of brass is a fitting tribute to the framers of the Constitution. A sculpture of the fifteen women in the Constituent Assembly is prominently showcased. Also on display is a wall-sized group photograph of all the members taken in 1950 after the Constitution was formally adopted and India declared a Republic. The museum has one of the 1000 copies of the original Constitution of India. It was wonderful to locatethe page where my father C.M. Poonacha signed on the Constitution’s final draft.
Technology makes the museum an interactive experience. One of them is an AI-generated image of Dr B.R. Ambedkar that allows visitors to ask questions, and Dr Ambedkar answers.
We got an opportunity to meet descendants of several well-known personalities. It was a memorable experience.
