Indira Gandhi exhibition in Moscow: She was deeply moved by city, its people, says Sonia
Gandhis
In her speech at the exhibition, Sonia Gandhi fondly traced her family's ties with Russia
Former Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi inaugurated a photo exhibition of the former prime minister late Indira Gandhi in Moscow earlier today.
At the exhibition, Sonia Gandhi expressed her happiness over visiting the Russian capital after thirteen years. "I have fond memories of my many visits here and to St. Petersburg and the gracious hospitality of President Putin in 2005," she added.
The exhibition was organised and inaugurated to commemorate the centenary anniversary of late Indira Gandhi. The event exhibited the expanse of her life and times as a remarkable political personality.
"This exhibition tells the story of a courageous, compelling and charismatic leader who left an indelible imprint not only on her own country, not only on the India-USSR relationship but on the world stage as well," said Sonia Gandhi.
"It is only appropriate that Moscow is the first place where this photo exhibition is on display outside India," she added
Indira Gandhi was India’s only woman prime minister, incidentally, many mothers in the Soviet Union named their daughters after her.
In her speech at the exhibition, Sonia Gandhi fondly traced her family's ties with Russia.
"The ties of my family with your country date back to 1927 when Indira Gandhi’s grandfather Motilal Nehru, father Jawaharlal Nehru and mother Kamala first visited Moscow. It was this journey that inspired Jawaharlal Nehru to write his very first book, ‘Soviet Russia: Some Random Sketches and Impressions’. Indira Gandhi herself made her first trip to Russia in 1953," Gandhi expressed.
She shared that her mother-in-law's (Indira Gandhi) letters to her father Jawahar Lal Nehru expressed how excited and deeply moved she was by Moscow and its people.
"From St. Petersburg, then Leningrad - she wrote, and I quote: Leningrad is truly a beautiful city… It is still the city of Peter the Great… The Hermitage Museum has a wonderful collection of European paintings—the collection of arts from China, Ancient Egypt and a small one consisting of mainly armour from India," Gandhi read out from one of Indira Gandhi's letters.
"The USSR—and especially Russia—held a special place, both in her head and her heart. After all, she had grown-up in the shadow of not only her father but of two other remarkable men: the Father of our Nation, Mahatma Gandhi who derived inspiration from Leo Tolstoy, and India’s first Nobel Laureate, the poet Rabindranath Tagore, who often expressed his admiration for Alexander Pushkin," Gandhi further added.
At the exhibition, Sonia Gandhi went on to talk about the exuberance and the strength with which late Indira Gandhi lived her life and led the nation. Sonia Gandhi recalled Indira Gandhi's passion for Russian literature, her diplomacy skills and her ability to emerge as one of the most powerful leaders in the history of Indian polity.
"During the 16 years of her Prime Ministership, India and the Soviet Union shared a special partnership. There were a genuine warmth and a rare chemistry between Indira Gandhi and the Russian leaders. She was an influential and tireless global voice for peace and disarmament. Within India, she shared a rare rapport with the poor and disadvantaged sections of society. They saw in her the protector of their rights and the champion of their hopes and aspirations," Sonia Gandhi added.
Sonia Gandhi reflected on the "excellent relationship" enjoyed by India and Russia and credited the same to Indira Gandhi's legacy -- "a legacy that has been consolidated by President Putin and successive Indian prime ministers," Gandhi concluded.