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Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tribute to Jamsaheb of Nawanagar during his two-day visit to Poland on Wednesday, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said that Gujarat had a special role in furthering India-Poland relations that remains etched in history.
Taking to social media site X, Patel said, "Gujarat's special role in furthering India-Poland relations remains etched in history. During World War II, Maharaja Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji of Jamnagar sheltered over 600 Polish refugee children in Gujarat--an act of kindness still remembered in Poland today." "As a tribute to his kind gesture, Warsaw has honoured Jam Saheb with the Good Maharaja Square and other key memorials. During his visit to Poland, Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to Jam Saheb, strengthening the enduring bond between our nations," he said. Upon his visit to the European nation, PM Modi laid a wreath at the Jam Saheb of Nawanagar Memorial in Warsaw today. The memorial is dedicated to Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji, a former Maharaja of Nawanagar (now Jamnagar). In 1942, the Maharaja established the Polish Children's Camp in Jamnagar for refugee Polish children who were brought out of the USSR during World War II. On the same note, Gujarat Health Minister Rushikesh Patel said, "Wherever the successful Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendrabhai Modiji, has gone in the world, he has always promoted Indian culture and heritage, and in this way, he is realising his mantra of "development as well as heritage" through different platforms." "Today, on 21st August, the Honourable Prime Minister visited the memorial "Square of Good Maharaja" built in the memory of Jamsaheb Shri Digvijay Singh Ranjitsinhji Jadeja of Navanagar, Gujarat, in the Akota district of Warsaw, Poland, and once again gave global recognition to the dignity of a great royal family of Gujarat as well as the entire country," Rushikesh Patel added. He further noted that he felt proud to say that Jamsaheb presented "an excellent example of Indian culture and humanity, gave shelter to more than 600 Polish children in his state between the years 1942 and 1946, and arranged food, clothing and medical treatment for all the children." Patel also stated that during those four years, the guest house at Balachadi Palace was "used as a school so that these children could learn to read and write and also, a special library with Polish books was set up so that these children do not forget their mother tongue and they could study in their mother tongue." He also stated that one of those children, known as Mr. Wizlaw, grew up and wrote a book that was translated into English as "At the 'Polish' Maharaja's," where he realistically described his four years spent in India. "Many such human welfare works done by our great Maharajas have set many excellent examples of India's spirit of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' which our Hon'ble Prime Minister is spreading to every corner of the world," Patel added. Prime Minister Modi is in Poland for a two-day visit and it is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Poland in the past 45 years. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, said that PM Modi will pay tribute at Good Maharaja Square, Monte Cassino Memorial and at Memorial to Kolhapur Family. He will be the first prime minister to pay his respects at all these three memorials. (ANI)
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