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Arjun Singh to flag off `Azadi Express'

        New Delhi: Arjun Singh, the Union Human Resource Development Minister, will flag off the Azadi Express, the mobile train exhibition, on Friday. The mobile train exhibition is part of the celebrations of the150th anniversary of the 1857 uprising and 60 years of India's independence from British colonial rule as well as the birth centenary of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh. The train will begin its journey from New Delhi. A project of Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), the exhibition will journey throughout the country for eight months and would conclude on May 15, 2008. It would pass through 70 destinations across the country, staying at each place for two to five days. The eleven coach exhibition depicts the 150 years of Indian history by way of photographs, diaroma, cutouts, scrollers and videos.

         Each of the first eight coaches carries a specific epoch in the freedom movement and is titled as such. They carry exhibits under various themes; Kompany Raj; The Lightening - incidents and events related to Barrackpore and Meerut when Indian soldiers revolted against the British; Fire spreads - reflecting the spread of revolt across northern and eastern India; British takeover - showing the defeat of the revolutionary forces, revengeful British campaign against the leaders and masses who took part in the uprising; National Awakening section depicts the formation of Indian National Congress, Partition of Bengal and opposition thereto, Gandhiji's emergence on the scene, the draconian Rowlatt Act and Jallianwala Bagh incident; Gandhiji leads - depicts the launch of Non-Cooperation Movement and Britishers ruthless repression, Civil Disobedience Movement, Dandi March; Quit India and Azadi sections show the climax of India's freedom struggle and its culmination into Free India. Last three coaches focus on the new dawn in our national history and march forward to prosperity and the strengthening of a vibrant democracy. It also includes various social movements like the Indigo Farmers issue, Champaran incidents, the rise of the nationalist press, patriotic literature, Bhoodan Movement of Acharya Vinoba Bhave and participation of the women in the freedom struggle. Books, cards and mementos on 1857 and freedom struggle themes will be available at special sale counters in Mobile Train Exhibition.
- September 27,  2007