PM Modi’s Visit to Poland: Tracing Historical Ties Between India and Poland

Between 1942 and 1948, over 6,000 Polish women and children sought refuge in India, particularly in the princely states of Jamnagar and Kolhapur. The then-Maharaja of Nawanagar, Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji, played a pivotal role in providing sanctuary to these refugees.

His act of offering a safe haven to over a thousand Polish children who had escaped the horrors of war is still remembered in Poland today. Born in 1895, Maharaja Digvijaysinhji was educated in India and the UK and had a distinguished military career before succeeding his uncle as the Maharaja of Nawanagar in 1933.

His sense of duty and compassion led him to offer refuge to Polish children during World War II. The first group of 170 children arrived in Nawanagar in 1942.

When the war ended, the bond between the children and the Maharaja remained strong. Although Maharaja Digvijaysinhji never sought recognition for his deeds, his dream of being remembered in a liberated Poland was fulfilled posthumously.

In 1989, a square in Warsaw was named in his honor, and a monument dedicated to him stands in the ‘Good Maharaja Square.’ He was also posthumously awarded the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland.

Today, a school in Warsaw named after the Maharaja continues to celebrate this unique connection. Prime Minister Modi’s upcoming visit to Poland holds special significance as it coincides with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Poland.

This visit marks the first time an Indian Prime Minister will visit Poland in 45 years since Morarji Desai’s visit in 1979. The formal establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Poland took place in 1954, followed by the opening of the Indian Embassy in Warsaw in 1957 and the Polish Embassy in New Delhi the same year.

This visit comes at a significant time, emphasizing the historical ties between the two countries. Following his visit to Poland, Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to depart for Ukraine on August 22 for discussions with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, before returning to Poland.