This year commemorates the 125th Anniversary of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. A senior level AusHeritage (Australia’s International Cultural Heritage Network) visited Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Memorial Museum at Chicholi Village in Nagpur, April 7-10, 2014. The delegation included the Chair of AusHeritage Mr Vinod Daniel, Collection Expert Mr Andrew Durham and Building Expert Mr Barrie Cooper. The Australian Consul General for Western India Mr Mark Pierce joined the delegation.

The Chairman of AusHeritage Mr Vinod Daniel had earlier visited Nagpur, November 10-11, 2014 at the request of Mr Sanjay Patil, Chair of the Dr Ambedkar Museum Trust. AusHeritage as the first phase of the collaboration, conducted a detailed assessment of the collections and the building and will provide a report which will enable the Trust to plan for a new site Museum as well as conserve its collections including objects associated with the original constitution of India.

Australian Consul General Mr Mark Pierce drew attention of the remarkable contribution that Dr Ambdekar made to India. He also said he was most impressed with his visit to the Museum which gave him a much better understanding of the personal, human side of Dr Ambedkar.

Mr Sanjay Patil, Chair of the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Museum Trust said this assistance was invaluable both in terms of preserving their existing collections as well as providing advice and guidance as they develop a new Museum to preserve Dr Ambedkar’s legacy.

Mr Vinod Daniel, Chairman of AusHeritage said he was delighted that he could assist in preserving the legacy of a person who has contributed so much for India. The relics including the clothes he wore, the type writer he used to frame the constitution, the handwritten notes and his religious journey are all very important aspects of both his life and India’s history. He also added that AusHeritage has worked closely with many major Indian Museums and historic houses and it is a privilege to assist in a small way to preserve the legacy of a national icon.

The project is supported by the Australia India Council. The Australia-India Council (AIC) was established in 1992 to encourage people-people links and increase knowledge and understanding between Australia and India. With the AIC’s support, AusHeritage members have worked on many projects in India, including providing assistance for designing an international exhibition gallery for the Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya in Mumbai, developing a charter for conservation of buildings for the Indian National Trust for Art and Culture, providing capacity building for Museums in Assam, Kerala, Mumbai, West Bengal and Delhi, developing a function brief for a Tagore museum in Shantiniketan, working with the City Palace in Jaipur on the Jaigarh Fort and assistance for the J C Bose House Museum in Kolkata.

AusHeritage is Australia’s international network for cultural heritage. The organisation’s members include Australian universities, national collecting institutions, State galleries, libraries and museums, private architectural firms and private and government conservation services. AusHeritage has memorandums of understanding with INTACH and the Madras Christian College.

For further information please contact Mr Vinod Daniel on +91 9840237322

AIC website link: http://www.dfat.gov.au/aic/