Dharamsala War Museum yet to be thrown open to public

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, September 23

The Himachal State War Museum, which was inaugurated by former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh before the last Assembly elections, is yet to be thrown open to the public. 

Kanga Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Kumar said although money for completing the museum had been received, deliberations were going on hiring workers for running the museum. A decision in this regard was likely to be taken within a week. He said minister Kishan Kapoor would hold a meeting on the issue soon.

Expressing resentment over the delay in the opening, Brig (retd) SL Pathak, while taking to The Tribune, said 54 arms, including a tank, HP-32 aircraft and rifles, donated by the Army and the IAF were gathering rust in the Yol Cantonment area. 

He said they had procured these war memorabilia from the Army with great difficulty. It was unfortunate that these were yet to be displayed in the museum, he said.

The museum is first of its kind in the region and a fitting tribute to the martyrs, servicemen and ex-servicemen from the state, especially from Kangra district.

The wooden outer structure that has been designed on the theme of old Himachali architecture by the PWD stands majestically and attracts attention of visitors in the martyrs’ park of Dharamsala. Only the first floor of the museum has been furnished with busts of war heroes from Himachal Pradesh and Kangra district, models of gallantry medals such Victoria Cross that was awarded during British India, Param Vir Chakras, Vir Chakra and other gallantry awards. The first floor of the museum also has the photos of gallantry award winners from the state.