In a significant move, the society and executive council of the Prime Ministers' Museum & Library, PMML were reconstituted with new names joining its society. As was expected Former Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Nripendra Mishra, who had completed nearly five years as the organisation's chairperson, got five more years too.
Former Union Minister Smriti Irani, ex-NITI Aayog Vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar, retired Army General Syed Ata Hasnain, noted filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, and Vasudev Kamath from Sanskar Bharati have been added as the new prominent members to the PMML society. These persons have diverse experience and expertise reflected in the new composition of the PMML.
The key decision-making body, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as its president and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh as vice-president, has also been increased. Now, the executive council, which was previously limited to 29 members, has increased to 34 members.
This enlargement occurs within a reconstitution order released by the Ministry of Culture to make sure that PMML's society and executive council will serve for five years, or until more directives are released.
Some of the notable figures left out of the new council are former Union Minister Anurag Thakur, University Grants Commission Chairman Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar; President of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts Ram Bahadur Rai, and journalist Rajat Sharma.
It is interesting, however, to note that the reconstituted society also holds doors open for a few of the key contributors to national development. Sanjeev Sanyal, of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council, and educationist Chamu Krishna Shastry, a member of the group that fructified the National Education Policy, are among the new inductees. Archaeologists KK Mohammad of 1976 Babri Masjid excavation team and BR Mani, a former director of the National Museum of today, have also entered the society.
Rizwan Kadri, who was involved in recent debates over the return of Nehru papers, continues to be a member of the society of the organization.
This reconstitution is an important step in the transformation of the PMML, especially after the NMML was renamed as PMML in 2023.
The Narendra Modi-led government had earlier proposed a museum dedicated to all Indian Prime Ministers, a vision realized with the opening of the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya in 2022. Despite political opposition, the museum and its associated library continue to play a central role in preserving and presenting the legacy of India's leadership.
This reconquest of the PMML society and executive council was a reaffirmation of efforts into the construction of an inclusive institution that represents both the country's political history as well as those who make and shape the present.
