Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate a museum-cum-memorial of late BR Ambedkar set up at 10, King Henry’s Road (KHR) in london, where Ambedkar stayed while studying at the london School of Economics in 1921-22, during forthcoming visit to the United Kingdom on November 14.
The Maharashtra Government, which purchased the heritage residence from a private owner two months ago, has converted the heritage property into museum-cum-memorial of late BR Ambedkar.
Modi, who will be in london from November from November 12 to 15, will visit the newly acquired residence of late Ambedkar and unveil the 12th century Indian philosopher Basaveshwara, before leaving for Ankara for the G20 summit.
Confirming that the Prime Minister would inaugurate late Ambedkar’s residence which the Maharashtra Government acquired a couple of months ago from a private owner and converted into a museum in memory of the Architect of Indian Constitution, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said here: “It is going to be a very simple function. The Prime Minister inaugurate the place and go around the place. There would be a brief address by the Prime Minister.”
The chief minister will also be attending the event.
Interacting informally with media persons here at his official residence “Varsha” on the eve of the Diwali “We have restored the newly acquired residence. The first two floors will have some artefacts that were once used by late Ambedkar, while there would also be a facility to screen presentations on the life and times of late Ambedkar. A lot of books and papers written by Dr Ambedkar himself will be on display at the museum”.
Queried if the Maharashtra government would implement senior Dalit leader Ramdas Athavale’s suggestion that the third floor of late Ambedkar’s residence be used as a lodging facility for at least two Maharashtrian students doing their higher studies in london, the chief minister said:”We are open to the suggestion made by Athavale”.
Asked about the third floor, he said that RPI leader Ramdas Athawale had suggested that there should be facilites for two students and the Government is open to it. “The Prime Minister would unveil and plaque, go around the place followed by a brief address...the function is going to be simple," he said. The inauguration of the museum-cum-memorial is being timed with the ongoing 125th birth anniversary celebrations of late Ambedkar.
In September this year, the BJP-led saffron alliance government purchased late Ambedkar’s residence from Messrs Adam French, agents representing the owners of 10 KHR.
The 2,050 sq ft residential property is located on 10, King Henry’s Road (KHR), london, where Ambedkar lived while studying at the london School of Economics in 1921-22. The original six-bedroom terraced house has recently been converted into a one-bedroom garden flat and a five-bedroom maisonette. It needs extensive repair and restoration. A blue plaque at the house's entrance commemorates late Ambedkar's stay in the house.
Informed sources say that the the Maharashtra government had purchased the heritage at an approximate cost of Rs 40 crore.
It may be recalled that State Educations Minister Vinod Tawde had in the third week of January this year visited the residential property along with the Federation of Ambedkarites and Buddhist Organisation (FABO), UK, and senior officials of the Indian High Commission (IHC), london and initiated necessary steps to purchase the property through an estate agent.
On his return from the United Kingdom, Tawde had in a letter sent to the IHC london on January 27 stated: “The Government has principally decided to purchase the residence of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar in london. Therefore, I am sending this as “letter of Intent” to purchase property”.
Subsequently, the Maharashtra Cabinet had on February 3 formally approved a proposal to purchase a residence in london as a follow up of the initiative to acquire the residential property.