PMML celebrates Morarji Desai anniversary, Vigyan Utsav
The Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML) on Saturday opened a special exhibition to mark the 130th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Morarji Desai. It also celebrated National Science Day as Vigyan Utsav, which falls on February 28.
The day-long event featured Nukkad-Nataks in the Pradhan Mantri Sanghralay campus, many free Virtual Reality shows and an exhibition on STEM products. The 10-day festival is to promote scientific temper amongst students and visitors through a range of activities and immersive learning experiences in astronomy and space science. A panel exhibition on the life and contribution of the former Prime Minister was displayed on this occasion, besides organizing various other activities.
Speaking on the occasion, PMML Director Ashwani Lohani expressed the importance of connecting citizens, especially students, with India’s democratic heritage. He stated that exhibitions such as this reaffirm the deep roots of democracy in the country and inspire reflection on responsible leadership.
“The institution is planning more such events for blind people, with the help of AI as guides, to make learning more inclusive and accessible,” Lohani told The Pioneer.
PMML has been regularly organising stimulating events related to academic research, life, vision and contribution of Prime Ministers and science-based activities to promote knowledge and awareness about the same amongst students and other visitors.
The curated panel exhibition presents a comprehensive account of Desai’s journey in public life from his early administrative career to his tenure as India’s Prime Minister. Through archival photographs, rare documents and detailed explanatory panels, the display captures his unwavering commitment to democratic values, probity in public life and administrative discipline.
Visitors spent considerable time engaging with the material, reflecting on Desai’s role during a significant period in the nation’s political evolution. The organisers said the exhibition has been designed to familiarise younger generations with Desai’s principles and his contribution to strengthening parliamentary democracy. The initiative aligns with PMML’s ongoing efforts to promote research, awareness and public understanding of the lives and contributions of India’s Prime Ministers.
The commemoration coincided with National Science Day celebrations at the museum complex, where scholars and visitors alike noted that such exhibitions provide valuable context to contemporary political discourse by revisiting the ideals upheld by leaders of earlier generations.
