Mizoram Governor General (Dr) Vijay Kumar Singh, (Retd), graced the “Partition Horrors Remembrance Day, 2026” programme organised by the Art and Culture Department, Government of Mizoram, at Vanapa Hall in Aizawl on Friday.
In his address, Governor Singh described the Partition of India as one of the most painful chapters in the history of the nation, noting that the immense suffering endured by the people had far-reaching consequences across the entire country.
“Today is not an occasion to reopen old wounds or to assign blame,” he observed. “Rather, it is a day to remember the victims, honour their resilience and draw enduring lessons from history so that such a tragedy is never permitted to recur in our nation.”
Recalling the many forms of hardship that accompanied Partition, the Governor stated that an estimated 10 to 14 million people were compelled to abandon their homes and properties and migrate. Families were torn apart, entire communities were displaced and countless innocent lives were lost. He observed that the Partition of India need not have taken place and attributed it to the designs of those who sought to weaken the country under colonial rule. The boundaries, he said, were drawn with undue haste, leaving deep and permanent scars. As one illustration, he pointed out that the division of the Chittagong Hill Tracts resulted in the separation of large numbers of Zo-Chin people.
The Governor urged schoolchildren to keep firmly in mind that India is one and that the nation’s identity is shared. It is this sense of unity, he emphasised, that will carry the country forward. With accelerated development and expanding opportunities across the nation, he noted, India could achieve still greater progress if its people remained united while setting aside differences. “India’s greatest strength,” he affirmed, “lies in its unity in diversity. Addressing the younger generation, he described them as the future pillars of both the state and the nation and urged: “Do not allow yourselves to be swayed by misinformation or misleading narratives. Read history with care and transmit its lessons with sensitivity and responsibility. Cherish the values of peace, tolerance, fraternity and mutual respect.”
Earlier in the programme, T.C. Lalkhuma, Joint Secretary, Art and Culture Department, delivered the welcome address. Artists from the Institute of Mizoram Fine Arts (IMFA) presented patriotic songs using the traditional Mizo musical instruments. Esther Hnamte, recipient of the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, also rendered a moving patriotic song. A short film on the Partition of India was screened. Carol VLMS Dawngkimi, Director, Art and Culture Department, proposed the vote of thanks and brought the formal proceedings to a close. Later, the Governor visited the exhibition organised on the occasion.
A large number of officials, teachers and students attended the programme.
