From the argument between Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Mahatma Gandhi to the British Cabinet Mission of 1946 — which finalised plans for India’s independence — history buffs in the national Capital are set to witness some of the rarest and iconic moments of India’s independence movement. Showcasing some of the exclusive images of historical figures — like Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and even Jackie Kennedy — Connaught Place will play host to a unique photo exhibition, to be flagged off on August 15, by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC). Most of the photographs on display are set to grab eyeballs as they have never been published. “The archival collection of historic images shall represent the work of a once forgotten photojournalist, Kulwant Roy (1914-1984). The month-long festival will trace nationalist history through pictures of historic political meetings, iconic portraits and glimpses into the lives of famous freedom fighters and leaders of India. Priceless moments of the Indian history, dating from the 1930s to 1960s, that spring to life in black and white will also be on display,” said Jalaj Shrivastava, chairman, NDMC.
“People will get to see the iconic picture of Jinnah and Gandhi fighting at his residence. Then there will be one in which Nehru and Ghaffar Khan walk to a Congress meeting while Sardar Patel is pulled alongside in a rickshaw,” also said a senior NDMC official.
The civic agency will be organising the event in collaboration with India Photo Archive Foundation (IPAF), founded by Aditya Arya, to whom Roy left all his photo collections. “In order to keep the exclusivity of images intact, there will be 30 to 35 images on display. Each photo will carry an accompanying story about it,” said Arya. The photos will be displayed at all six blocks in CP’s Inner Circle, in the Central Park around the flag point, Regal Cinema and Jeevan Bharti building’s façade and also in the subways.