Government of India proposes to set up a modern museum dedicated to the ‘PRIME MINISTERS OF INDIA”, covering all Prime Ministers. They have been predominant faces of the Indian Government. As head of the Council of Ministers, more importantly of its inner core, the Cabinet, the PM is mandated to lead governance and policy making. They have mostly made a great impact on the Indian polity over last seventy years of India’s independence. The institution of the Prime Minister has also come to represent the democratic legitimacy of the Indian State.
Since the institution of the Prime Minister is critical to Indian democracy, it deserves to be better explained. In fact, India’s democratic experience, unique as it is, has not been presented in the way it should be. On one hand the Indian Parliament has curated a museum highlighting its legislative experience and on the other, the Supreme Court has also established a museum depicting India’s legal heritage and the growth of our justice delivery system. It is high time that the story of India’s Executive, represented by the Prime Minister, is told.
It is unfortunate that the lives and works of many of our Prime Ministers has not been well documented. In fact many have received very little attention. While contributions of individual Prime Ministers have been different and obviously cannot be compared, it should actually be left to individuals to assess it; relevant facts, all at one place, will facilitate that process. This is what the proposed museum seeks to do. Through research and sensitive curation, this endeavour shall bring alive the personalities of our Prime Ministers.
India is the world’s largest democracy and we owe it to scholars and those with interest in governance, development and growth that they have a world-class facility where serious research is done on India’s Prime Ministers. Since the Prime Ministers have emerged as the fulcrum around which the union government revolves, individuals occupying the office have often taken on larger-than-life form. Separate museums dedicated to a few individuals who were Prime Minister have been set-up. It is simply not feasible to establish museums for each of the fifteen individual Prime Ministers that India has had till now. It is also unfortunate that the lives and works of many Prime Ministers has received little attention.
Before finalising the ‘concept’ of the museum on India’s Prime Ministers, we in the Government of India would like to invite suggestions and feedback from you on the kind of ‘vision’ one should adopt for this project. How to approach the very idea of the ‘Museum on the Prime Ministers of India’? Do you see merit in this idea? How should this museum be conceived? Your feedback will be very crucial for us in taking an informed decision on the ‘concept’ and ‘vision’ for the museum.
The best idea/suggestion would receive a cash prize of Rupees Ten Thousands only.
Last date of submission is 29th April, 2018
