The Finance Minister has proved that he not only cares for money and economy but also history. To mark the centenary of the Gadar movement, the Government will fund the conversion of the Gadar Memorial in San Francisco into a museum and library.

The Hindustan Gadar Party, when founded in 1913, begun its operation from 436 Hill Street of the northern Californian city. It came to be known as ‘Yugantar Ashram’ and it was from here that the freedom fighters were active from 1913 to 1917. From this place they published a weekly magazine called Gadar to propagate the cause of Indian independence. The party’s headquarters subsequently moved to 5 Wood Street, the present location of the memorial hall.

The ‘Ashram,’ along with its belongings including some historical records, was handed over in 1949 to the Government of India. The building, at that stage, was about 30 years old and in a dilapidated condition. The local Indian community began its move from 1952 to set up a memorial. The Government of India sanctioned $83,000 for the restoration work. The groundbreaking ceremony for the restoration of the building was performed by Sardar Swaran Singh, the then Minister of External Affairs in September 1974. The Gadar Memorial was inaugurated by T. N. Kaul, India’s Ambassador to US in March 1975.

> jayanta.mallick@thehindu.co.in

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