Arunachal Pradesh Inks Pact With Army for Upkeep of Museum of Valour in Tawang

Itanagar: The Arunachal Pradesh government has inked a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with the Indian Army for the maintenance and upkeep of the Major Ralengnao Bob Khathing Museum of Valour in Tawang district.

The memorandum was signed by Tawang Deputy Commissioner Kangki Darang and Brigadier VS Rajput of the 190 Mountain Brigade on Wednesday in the presence of Chief Minister Pema Khandu.

With this agreement, the museum will be effectively managed solely by the Indian Army, an official statement said here on Thursday.

On the occasion, Khandu paid tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first Home Minister of India, under whose directives Major Bob Khathing travelled to Tawang and established administrative control over the region in 1951, which was held by the Tibetan administration, the statement said.

"If not for Sardar Patel, Major Bob Khathing and the then Governor of Assam Daulat Ram, who knows we Monpas and the Tawang region today would have been under China-controlled Tibet region," the statement quoted Khandu as saying.

The chief minister thanked the Indian Army, particularly, the Tawang-based 190 Mountain Brigade, for allocating defence land to establish the museum and accepting the management of it.

He assured that whenever the government’s intervention is required in the maintenance and management of the museum, the government will cooperate without hesitation.

State Tourism Minister P D Sona, legislators Oken Tayeng and Namge Tsering, Tourism Secretary, and Commanders of the 106 and 46 Brigades were also present on the occasion, the statement added.