Exhibition To Pay Tribute To Indian Heroes Of World War I
NEW DELHI: Compelling photographs and rare objects used by Indian soldiers which shed light on their bravery and sacrifice during World War I will be on display at an exhibition here to honour them in the centenary year of the Great War.
The exhibition "India And the First World War" from January 13 to February 10 will also have a separate section showcasing the actual uniform, turban and other memorabilia used by the Indian soldiers 100 years ago.
The images for the exhibition have been sourced from all over the world primarily from Imperial War Museum, British Library, London, French Military Archives, Flanders Museum, Belgium and many other private collections internationally. Besides, there will also be a section featuring sound recordings and silent movies of the Indian soldiers made between 1914 and 1918.
The exhibition has been organised jointly by Roli Books, Embassy of France in India, and Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).
When the Great War came to a head, Britain needed all the support it could get. It fell to the lot of the Empire's colonies across the world to fill in for the gaps left by the weakened British regiments.
And thus, close to seven lakh Indian soldiers encouraged to enlist by their national leaders crossed the oceans for the first time to fight an indecipherable war against an unknown enemy.
They were ill-prepared for the European winters and the dusty Mesopotamian summers. The warfare tactics, which used extensive bunkers and weapons that were hitherto unheard of, proved to be a challenge.
Issues of racism and language followed the Indian soldiers wherever they were deployed. And yet, they fought bravely for the prestige of their regiments and for their own. They proved to the world that they were brave, loyal, and capable soldiers, and till date, the Indian troops are spoken of reverently in the villages across the Western Front.
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