History comes alive at Rashtrapati Bhavan library

A rare and historically significant audio-video collection, like speeches by Lord Mountbatten, first Indian governor general of India C Rajagopalachari, those by former Presidents Dr Rajendra Prasad, Dr Zakir Husain and Dr S Radhakrishnan and vintage films — including that on the first Republic Day Parade — is now part of the Rashtrapati Bhavan library.

A rare and historically significant audio-video collection, like speeches by Lord Mountbatten, first Indian governor general of India C Rajagopalachari, those by former Presidents Dr Rajendra Prasad, Dr Zakir Husain and Dr S Radhakrishnan and vintage films — including that on the first Republic Day Parade — is now part of the Rashtrapati Bhavan library.

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President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday inaugurated a audio-visual section at the library, which has stocked up on archival material procured from All India Radio, Films Division and Doordarshan.

The authorities plan to provide e-links for all the material on the president’s website later.

“This is the first step in collecting all related archival material. Similar steps (e-link) would be considered for rare books in the library later,” said Venu Rajamony, press secretary to the president.

The president watched a newsreel on the departure of Lord Mountbatten from India and the swearing-in of C. Rajagopalachari obtained from the Films Division archives. He listened to speeches by C Rajagopalachari, Rajendra Prasad and S Radhakrishnan, obtained from the All India Radio archives, a statement issue by the Rashtrapati Bhavan said.