On Wednesday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid wreaths in several places in Warsaw. In the capital, he was welcomed by Indians living in Poland. On Thursday, Modi will meet with Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Polish President Andrzej Duda.
On Wednesday afternoon, Prime Minister Modi laid a wreath at the monument of the Good Maharaja in Warsaw's Ochota district. The pedestal, with inscriptions in three languages (Polish, English and Hindi), commemorates Maharaja Jama Saheb Digvijaysinhji, who established a settlement in Balachadi for orphaned Polish children evacuated from the Soviet Union with General Anders' Army, providing them with education in Polish schools, food and access to health care. It is estimated that around a thousand children were cared for. The Warsaw monument was unveiled in 2014.
Modi was welcomed by Hindus living in Poland
Modi then went to the Skwer Żołnierzy Tułaczy in Warsaw's Muranów district, where there is a commemorative plaque expressing gratitude to the authorities and residents of the principality of Kolhapur in India. During World War II, Kolhapur accepted Polish refugees evacuated with Anders' Army from the Soviet Union in 1942. In the years 1943-1948, about 5,000 Polish refugees stayed there. The plaque with inscriptions in Polish and English was unveiled in 2017.
Prime Minister Modi also laid a wreath at the nearby Battle of Monte Cassino monument.
In all these places, Modi was welcomed by Hindus living in Poland, often dressed in traditional costumes.
Meeting with the Prime Minister and the President
On Thursday, the head of the Indian government will meet with Prime Minister Donald Tusk at the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, and then with President Andrzej Duda at the Belweder Palace.
On Friday, Modi will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev.
Main image source: Ministry of External Affairs of India, Facebook