Understanding Our Borders: Defence Ministry Approves Project To Document History Of Indian Borderlands And People

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has formally approved a project to compile the history of India's borders.

The decision was taken by the Minister at a meeting held here on Wednesday (18 September) with various government agencies, including the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML).

"The project belongs to the Defence Ministry, which will also provide its funding. The budgetary estimates are being worked out. The objective behind the project is to make citizens living in cities and hinterland areas aware about the culture, history and ethnography of border areas. Basic work on the project has already commenced. Research on archival material and on-ground studies will be conducted," an official told IANS.

The Ministry has selected NMML, an autonomous body under the Union Culture Ministry, as the nodal agency to execute the project.

The project mooted to provide a better understanding of the borders to the public in general and officials, in particular, has been conceived by the Defence Ministry.

According to a senior official of the NMML, the work will be brought out in a book format.

As per sources, apart from NMML representatives, eminent personalities from the Indian Council of Historical Research as well as officials from the Home, External Affairs and Defence Ministries were also present during the meeting that was held at South Block in New Delhi.

"It is proposed that the work will cover various aspects of borders including tracing its making; making & unmaking and shifting of borders; the role of security forces; the role of borderland people encompassing their ethnicity, culture and socio-economic aspects of their lives," the Defence Ministry tweeted.