Exhibition to honour C.M. Poonacha, Constituent Assembly Member, at Constitution Museum in JGU

 
As a part of its commitment to honour the legacy of the framers of the Constitution of India, The Constitution Museum & The Rights and Freedoms Academy at JGU commemorated the 115th birth anniversary of Shri C.M. Poonacha by curating an exhibition from October 15 to 18 in his memory. Shri Poonacha, a Member of the Constituent Assembly, served independent India as the Chief Minister of Coorg, Union Minister of Railways and Governor of Madhya Pradesh and Odisha.

The exhibition displayed original photographs capturing various moments of Shri Poonacha's life, epistles, books, constitutional and other official documents, and other memorabilia. The exhibition featured a historically significant ampoule containing the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi, which Shri Poonacha received and kept in reverence throughout his life. 

In the Constituent Assembly, Shri Poonacha made impactful contributions in the Provincial Constitution Committee and the Committee on Chief Commissioners' Provinces. In the Assembly debates, he articulated the significance of the Coorg Province in the emerging federal structure of India. He also advocated a measured degree of autonomy to provinces, emphasising the importance of preserving the cultural and political identity of Coorg while remaining a firm advocate of India’s unity.

Inaugurating the exhibition, Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, Vice Chancellor, JGU, said, "The Constitution Museum and the Rights and Freedoms Academy, India's first museum dedicated to the Constitution, remains deeply committed to honouring the legacies of each of the 300 members of the Constituent Assembly. Entering the fourth quarter of the century, leading up to 100 years of Indian Independence, we carry a moral responsibility to contribute to nation-building. Through these exhibitions, we strive to continually remind the people of India about the dreams of a bygone generation: their unwavering dedication to the nation and profound commitment to justice and liberty. In doing so, the Constitution Museum at JGU fulfils its purpose as a vital educational space for cultivating constitutional morality.”        

The exhibition commenced with a panel discussion titled ‘C.M. Poonacha: A Constitutional Exemplar: In the Words of His Children’, in which Mr. C.P. Belliappa, son of Shri Poonacha, and Mrs. Vijaya Muthanna and Dr. Kaveri Nambisan, daughters of Shri Poonacha, reminisced on their father's legacy.

In April 2025, the Museum hosted a similar exhibition in memory of Shri R. Sankar, the member of the Constituent Assembly from Travancore-Cochin.

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