New Delhi, Oct 4 (IANS) On the birth anniversary of the great freedom fighter Shyamji Krishna Varma, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday recalled how, 56 years after India’s Independence, Varma’s ashes were brought back from Geneva, honouring the freedom fighter’s final request.

Taking to social media, PM Modi shared a thread of posts via the official ‘Modi Archive’ handle, commemorating the life and legacy of Varma.

“On the birth anniversary of the great freedom fighter Shyamji Krishna Varma, we reflect on Prime Minister @narendramodi’s tribute to this great revolutionary. Shyamji Krishna Varma passed away in 1930, holding on to the hope that his ashes would one day return to a free India. However, it was not until 56 years after India’s Independence that this wish was fulfilled. In August 2003, Gujarat’s then-Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, brought his ashes back from Geneva, honouring the freedom fighter’s final request,” the post stated.

On August 22, 2003, then CM, Modi visited St. George’s Cemetery in Geneva, Switzerland, where he formally received Varma’s ashes from the Ville de Genève and the Swiss government, the post added.

In another thread, ‘Modi Archive’ highlighted how Narendra Modi organised a grand ‘Viranjali Yatra,’ a ceremonial procession in which the urn containing Varma’s ashes travelled through 17 districts of Gujarat, including South Gujarat, Central Gujarat, and Saurashtra.

The ashes were carried in a specially-designed vehicle named ‘Viranjali-Vahika,’ drawing thousands of young Gujaratis who came out in large numbers to pay their respects to the revered freedom fighter.

To further honour Varma’s contributions, he envisioned and initiated the creation of ‘Kranti Teerth,’ a memorial dedicated to the freedom fighter’s legacy. The foundation stone was laid on October 4, 2009, and the memorial was inaugurated on December 13, 2010, the archive noted.

In a final thread, it was recalled that in 2015, Shyamji Krishna Varma was posthumously reinstated to the Bar by the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, London. The certificate marking this honour was presented to Prime Minister Modi by then-UK Prime Minister David Cameron.

–IANS

jk/rad