Union Minister recalls fascinating tale of PM Modi, bringing back Shyamji Varma's ashes to India

New Delhi: Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday recalled his tenure as the Indian Ambassador in Switzerland to explain how Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s keenness on fulfilling the ‘last wish’ of noted freedom fighter Shyamji Krishna Varma helped realise it, something that no other Prime Minister attempted or even thought of.

While narrating the fascinating tale of the return of Shyamji’s ashes to his homeland in Gujarat, the minister also lamented that no effort was made to reclaim the legacy of one of the greatest freedom fighters, even decades after the country attained freedom.

Shyamji Krishna Varma passed away in Switzerland in 1930 while holding on to his last hope that his ashes would be transported back to India when it became a free and independent nation. However, his ‘last wish’ was realised only after 56 years of Independence. It was in 2003 that the then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi helped realise the last wish of the freedom fighter and brought his ashes back home.

The Union Minister recollecting his memories in a video message informed, how he was also overwhelmed with emotion while facilitating the return of Shyamji’s ashes back to India.

"It was in July 2003 that I got a telephone call from the then Gujarat CM Narendra Modi, he expressed his desire to come to Geneva. As I was posted as Ambassador there, I had the honour and privilege of organising a function in the Geneva ceremony for facilitating the handing over of Shyamji’s ashes to PM Modi," said Hardeep Puri.

“No other leader in independent India had thought to bring the ashes back and honour this great son of the nation. Then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi brought the ashes back, laid the remains to rest in Mandvi, Shyamji's birthplace, and created a befitting memorial," he added.

The Union Minister also informed that Shyamji Krishna Varma had signed an agreement with the Swiss cemetery that his and his wife's ashes would be kept there but when India becomes an independent country, this would be taken back to their homeland.