PM Modi pays homage at Good Maharaja memorial, 2 others in Poland

Humanity and compassion are vital foundations of a “just and peaceful world”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Warsaw on Wednesday (August 21) as he paid homage at three memorials, including the monument of the Jam Saheb of Nawanagar, known affectionately as the “Good Maharaja” who provided refuge to over 1,000 Polish children who escaped the Soviet Union.

Modi, who arrived in Warsaw on the first leg of his two-nation visit during which he will also travel to Ukraine, paid his tributes at the memorials for the Valivade-Kolhapur camp and the Monument to the Battle of Monte Cassino in Warsaw.

The Good Maharaja

“Humanity and compassion are vital foundations of a just and peaceful world. The Jam Saheb of Nawanagar Memorial in Warsaw highlights the humanitarian contribution of Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja, who ensured shelter as well as care to Polish children left homeless due to World War II. Jam Saheb is fondly remembered in Poland as Dobry Maharaja,” Modi posted on X along with some photos.

The memorial, located at the Square of the Good Maharaja, Warsaw, is a remembrance to the deep respect and gratitude the people and the government of Poland have for the Jamsaheb of Nawanagar Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja (of modern-day Jamnagar in Gujarat), the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a release.

A historical connection

During World War II, the Jamsaheb provided shelter to over a thousand Polish children and is today remembered as the Dobry (Good) Maharaja in Poland. The profound impact of his generosity lives on among the polish people, it said.

At the memorial, Prime Minister Modi met with the descendants of polish people who were given shelter by the Jamsaheb, the MEA added.

His visit to the memorial highlights a special historical connection between India and Poland that continues to be cherished by the people of the two countries, it said.

Schools named after Jam Saheb

The memorial monument — a small brick pillar with inscriptions — was unveiled in October 2014 at the Square of the Good Maharaja, Ochota district, in Warsaw.

According to the Indian Embassy website, eight Polish primary and secondary schools are named after Jam Saheb, known as the “Good Maharaja” in Poland.

In 1942, the Maharaja had provided refuge to about 1,000 Polish children from war-torn, occupied Poland and Soviet camps following the occupation of Poland by Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia.

The surviving Polish children have formed an Association of Poles, which meets annually in one of the major Polish cities, it said.

Kolhapur Memorial

Later, Modi paid tributes at the memorial plaque for the Valivade-Kolhapur camp, which was inaugurated in November 2017, near the Monte Casino War Memorial.

“Paid homage at the Kolhapur Memorial in Warsaw. This Memorial is a tribute to the great Royal Family of Kolhapur. This Royal Family was at the forefront of giving shelter to Polish women and children displaced due to the horrors of World War II,” Modi said in another post on X.

“Inspired by the ideals of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the great Royal Family of Kolhapur put humanity above everything else and ensured a life of dignity for the Polish women and children. This act of compassion will keep inspiring generations,” he added and posted a few photos from the event.

The memorial is dedicated to the generosity of princely state of Kolhapur offered to the polish people during the World War II, the MEA said.

The camp established at Valivade, Kolhapur, provided shelter to Polish people during the war. This settlement housed approximately 5,000 Polish refugees, including women and children. At the memorial, Prime Minister met with polish people who had lived in the Kolhapur camp and their descendants, it added.

Shared history

Prime Minister Modi also paid solemn homage at the Monument to the Battle of Monte Cassino in Warsaw.

“PM honoured the brave soldiers who fought in World War II. Indian and Polish troops fought side by side in this historic battle. Our shared history and enduring ties continue to inspire,” the MEA said in another post on X.

This monument commemorates the sacrifice and valour of soldiers from Poland, India and other countries who fought alongside each other in the famous Battle of Monte Cassino in Italy during the World War II.

Prime Minister’s visit to the monument “underscores the shared history and deep-rooted ties between India and Poland that continue to inspire many,” the MEA said.

Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Poland is the first trip by an Indian Prime Minister to the country in the past 45 years.

(With agency inputs)