Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the Polish capital Warsaw on Wednesday paid tributes at The Dobry Maharaja Memorial, Kolhapur Memorial, and the Monument to the Battle of Monte Cassino.
The Dobry Maharaja Memorial honours Jamsaheb of Nawanagar (modern-day Jamnagar in Gujarat) Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja's act of kindness during World War II.
During the Second World World War, the Jamsaheb provided shelter to over a thousand Polish children and is today remembered as the Dobry (Good) Maharaja in Poland. The profound impact of his generosity lives on among the Polish people.
At the memorial, Prime Minister Modi met with the descendants of Polish people who were given shelter by the Jamsaheb.
Later, the Prime Minister visited the Kolhapur Memorial, which is dedicated to the generosity of the princely state of Kolhapur offered to the Polish people during the Second World War. The camp established at Valivade, Kolhapur, provided shelter to Polish people during the war. This settlement housed approximately 5,000 Polish refugees, including women and children.
At the memorial, Prime Minister Modi met with Polish people who had lived in the Kolhapur camp and their descendants.
The Prime Minister's visit to the memorial highlights a special historical connection that exists between India and Poland, and one that continues to be nurtured and nourished, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.
Prime Minister Modi also visited the Monument to the Battle of Monte Cassino, which commemorates the sacrifice and valour of soldiers from Poland, India and other countries who fought alongside each other in the famous Battle of Monte Cassino in Italy during the Second World War.
The Prime Minister's visit to the memorials underscores the shared history and deep-rooted ties between India and Poland.