Polish youth retrace WWII roots in India under government exchange initiative
New Delhi: Twenty young Polish nationals, descendants of Polish children who were sheltered in India during World War II, visited Balachadi in Jamnagar and Valivade near Kolhapur under the Jamsaheb Memorial Youth Exchange Programme this February. The initiative was facilitated by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official visit to Poland last year.
The delegation of young people the grandchildren of Polish refugees who, during the 1940s, found refuge in India having been displaced from their places by the war. Some 1,000 Polish children had been received by Maharaja Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja of the then princely state of Nawanagar, now part of Gujarat, in 1942. As Nazi and Soviet troops occupied Poland and the Polish government-in-exile in London was searching for a safe haven for its children, the Maharaja had welcomed them to his doors by setting up a camp at Balachadi.
Planned with the assistance of one of the earliest Polish child refugees, Wieslaw Stypula, the group toured the Balachadi memorial. Two of his grandchildren, Arkadiusz Michałowski (28) and Kasia Michalowska (25), were part of the group that toured. The memorial statue shows a figure representing Mother India, holding an Indian child in her arms and hugging a Polish child, showing India's part in providing shelter during the war.
During the visit, delegates recalled stories shared by their grandparents about their time in India. The Polish children had engaged in scouting, music, and cultural exchanges, and celebrated festivals such as Christmas with local adaptations. The Maharaja, popularly known as "Bapu" to the children, used to send them presents on occasions.
Barbara Gutowska (22), a granddaughter of Roman Gutowski, another survivor of the Balachadi camp, said the visit was an emotional experience and that she had heard tales all her life of India and the Maharaja's protection.
The delegation also toured the Polish camp compound in Valivade, Kolhapur, that had accommodated more Polish refugees. Bartosz Jezierski (17), whose grandfather Andrzej Jezierski was one of those who had been hosted there, visited the memorial museum.
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Karnataka: Three held for murder of Tibetan man in Dharwad district
Dharwad (Karnataka) (PTI): Three people were arrested on Monday in connection with the murder of a Tibetan man in this district, police said on Monday.
Tashi Dhondup (39), a Buddhist monk and resident of Mundagod, was found dead near Haliyal Bridge on the Dharwad bypass on April 29, they said.
Police said the body bore injury marks on the face, indicating foul play.
Upon receiving information about an unidentified body within the limits of Dharwad Rural Police Station, a highway patrol team and emergency services rushed to the spot and alerted senior officials.
Following inspection and identification of the deceased, a case of murder was registered the same day based on visible injuries and findings from the scene of crime team, a senior police officer said.
Superintendent of Police Gunjan Arya said the motive appears to be “murder for gain”. The accused allegedly demanded money from the victim and assaulted him when he failed to comply, leading to his death.
Three accused, all from Kolhapur district in neighbouring Maharashtra, have been arrested, while efforts are on to nab two others involved in the crime.
Further investigation is underway.
