No decision on 'PMs memorial' at Teen Murti Bhavan in Nehru Memorial Museum and Library

A plan to build a memorial for all former prime ministers in the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) at the Teen Murti Bhavan complex came up for discussion at the annual general body meeting here today but no decision was taken.

The meeting, chaired by Home Minister and NMML Society vice president Rajnath Singh and attended by Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Karan Singh besides others, resolved that there will be no "tinkering" of the present structure, which was set up in memory of first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

"There was a general discussion but there was no decision. It is a heritage building. There will be no tinkering with the original structure," NMML Society member and Congress Rajya Sabha MP Karan Singh told reporters after the meeting.

He was replying to a question whether the proposal to build a memorial for all former prime ministers were discussed.

He said there may be an upgrade of the building and a new building may come up "but it will be done with the full cooperation of everyone".

Singh, however, made it clear that there will be no denigration of the present structure - the Teen Murti Bhavan - which was the residence of Nehru.

Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta, who is a member of the NMML executive council, said the sanctity of the building will remain intact.

"There is a plan to make a gallery (of former prime ministers). It is still in the drawing board stage. Subsequently it will be done but only after the approval of experts," he said.

In his address, the home minister said the planned museum for the former prime ministers will be showcased by the NMML society as an iconic one and will utilise 3D technology to offer a virtual reality experience.

Singh said the NMML has undertaken an ambitious digitisation programme and the first stage of its upgrade and modernisation programme is due to be completed soon, an official said.

"The meeting approved the annual report and audited accounts of the NMML Society for the years 2014-15 and 2015- 16. During the meeting various issues including upgrading and renovation of museum, digitisation of documents, acquisition of books in regional languages and setting up of a museum for former prime ministers, were discussed," the release said.

NMML Director Shakti Sinha said the plan to make a memorial for all former prime ministers was still in the "concept stage" and the issue was discussed in today's meeting.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the president of the NMML Society but he did not attend today's 42nd annual general body meeting.

Among others who attended the meeting include Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar and Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.

The NMML at the Teen Murti Bhavan was set up in the memory of Nehru as an autonomous institution under the ministry of culture.

It was the residence of the country's first prime minister and the museum was solely associated with him. The NMML has plans to invite global tenders for expanding the interest of the museum regarding the prime ministers of India.

A committee set up by the NMML last year to identify the location had recommended two sites within the complex. One is a vacant plot behind the present museum, the other is the office of the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, which is chaired by Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

However, the executive council later decided the designer or architect should identify the site