Legacy and spiritual message of the Roerichs became the basis of the foundation of the present International Roerich Memorial Trust, which was founded in 1993 by Mme Devika Rani Roerich, for the purpose of collecting, preserving, extending and administering for the benefit of humanity the scientific, educational, research, cultural and artistic works and activities established by the members of the Roerich family.
Former Honorable Prime Minister of India, Shri A.B.Vajpayee was the Patron of the Trust; the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Shri Virbhadra Singh is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees; former Ambassador of the Russian Federation, H.E. Mr. A.M.Kadakin, previously closely associated with the Roerich family, a Life Trustee, has been for years the moving spirit behind the development of the Trust and promotion of the Roerich’s heritage as the symbol of Indo-Russian and international cultural and spiritual cooperation.
Nature of registration and date:
The International Roerich Memorial Trust has been registered under the Indian Trust Act, 1882, on 16th April 1993, by Smt. Devika Rani Roerich with the Sub-Registrar of Kullu.
Objects of the Trust:
From the registered ‘Deed of Trust’:
“ 5. Objects of the Trust:
The purpose or objects of the trust are and shall be:
a) To collect, preserve, extend and administer for the benefit of humanity the scientific, educational, research, cultural and artistic works and activities achieved, established and maintained by the members of the Roerich family, Prof. Nicholas Roerich, his wife Mme. Helena Roerich and their sons Dr. George Roerich and Dr. Svetoslav Roerich and Mme Devika Rani Roerich:
b) To establish and maintain Art Galleries, Museums in India and elsewhere in the world for exhibiting and propagating the works of art, science, research, books and publications of the ROERICH FAMILY aforementioned;
c) To take over, establish, maintain and administer Centres for charitable, scientific research, literary, cultural and educational purposes, including and with particular respect to the works of art, scientific research by the Urusvati Himalayan Research Institute, books and publications of the members of the ROERICH FAMILY aforementioned, and utilize their proceeds for charitable, cultural, scientific and educational purposes irrespective of caste and creed;
d) To conduct conferences and seminars of intellectuals among eminent individuals from different countries at Naggar Estate on scientific, literary, cultural and educational subjects in the tradition of the Roerich heritage.
e) To print, re-print and publish works of art, scientific research, books and publications, including and with particular respect to those of the members of the ROERICH FAMILY aforementioned;
f) To obtain or receive funds by gift, bequest, or devise, without limitation in amount, subject only to any limitation which may be imposed by the laws in force in India, including the State of Jammu and Kashmir, from any person or body of persons, charitable institutions, organizations and trusts operating in India or in any other country exclusively; and to invest or re-invest such funds and to apply the income and principal there of as the Board of Trustees may from time to time determine, either directly or through contributions to any charitable organization exclusively for charitable, scientific, literary and educational purposes irrespective of caste and creed;
g) To give, provide and/or render help and assistance in kind to the socially and economically weaker sections of the society, irrespective of caste and creed;
h) To give, provide and/or render help and assistance and to implement any scheme for providing livelihood and for the upliftment of the poor irrespective of caste and creed;
i) To give, provide and/or render food, medicine and other help or assistance in any shape or form to the poor and to socially and economically backward people;
j) To open, found, establish, promote, set-up, run, maintain, assist, finance, support and/or aid or help in setting up or maintaining and/or run schools, colleges, lecture halls, auditoriums, science and arts museums and other establishments or institutions for the advancement of education and/or fine arts, science, literature and humanities and all other useful subjects in all their manifestations, such as public awareness programmes, seminars, conferences etc., for the general public;
k) To open, found, establish, promote, set-up, run, maintain, assist, finance, support and/or aid or help in setting up and/or maintaining and/or run hostels, boarding houses, libraries, reading rooms, museums, gymnasiums, and other training and vocational institutes;
l) To promote, advance and encourage and/or aid in, helping, promoting, advancing and encouraging primary, secondary and higher education including technical, medical, and fine arts education as also physical training, training of handicrafts, fine arts and other useful arts and crafts including the establishment and maintainance of kalakendras, shilpa shikshalayas and other welfare centres;
m) To grant, to pay or give scholarships, stipends, prizes, rewards, allowances and other financial assistance or help in cash or kind to the deserving and meritorious students/fellows with a view to help them in pursuing their studies or otherwise encouraging the study of fine arts;
n) to promote, organize, administer, establish, support, maintain, and/or grant aid to any person, institution or society or other organization or trust having similar objects, and without any distinction of caste and creed;
o) generally to undertake any scheme for propagation and publication of works of art, culture, scientific research, including and with particular respect to the works of scientific research, art and culture, books and publications of the members of the ROERICH FAMILY aforementioned for the benefit of the public and to utilize the income for charitable, cultural and educational and research purposes.
Activities of the Trust:
Many new developments have taken place since the inception of the Trust, and especially in recent times:
— reconstruction of many old buildings at the premises of the Trust;
— construction of new buildings for cultural and educational purposes;
— development of new and properly functioning infrastructure;
— publishing activity (books, brochures, reproductions of paintings, posters, souvenirs);
— permanent art exhibitions;
— temporary art exhibitions;
— international cooperation;
— founding and functioning of Helena Roerich Art College for local children;
— project of setting up the Roerich International College of Fine Arts.
Following is the brief account of current activities of the Trust:
Permanent exhibition of the original paintings of Nicholas Roerich and Svetoslav Roerich in 3 halls. IRMT Gallery has 37 original paintings of Nicholas Roerich, and 11 paintings of Svetoslav Roerich.
Visitors can see (through the windows along the balcony constructed around the house) the inner arrangement of the rooms as it was during the Roerich’s times; outside the House is the car, that belonged to the family, and Guga Chohan sculptures.
Svetoslav and Devika Rani Roerich’s Memorial
Museum set up in the former studio of Svetoslav R., displaying photographs, personal belongings of the illustrious couple and reproductions of Svetoslav Roerich’s paintings.
Cremation ground of Nicholas Roerich, with a big piece of rock placed in the middle with an inscription in Hindi.
Samadhi of Devika Rani Roerich
According to her will, part of Devika Rani’s ashes were buried under the old lime tree, her favorite place. A piece of stone is placed there.
Contains a number of original, ancient sculptures collected by the Roerichs, as well as contemporary exhibits of traditional costumes, cultural and ethnographical objects from the Kullu valley and other mountain regions.
It also exhibits reproductions of Nicholas Roerich paintings; paintings of Indian and Russian artists from their painting workshops; small ‘Russian room’ containing some dresses and ethnographical objects from Russia.
Permanent exhibition “George Roerich – Director of the Urusvati Institute’;
Temporary monthly Art exhibitions of Indian and foreign artists (paintings, photography etc);
Library with the books in English, Hindi and Russian for adults and children;
Archive room;
Sister Ursula’s Children room.
Started its work in the Urusvati building on 06.04.2003. Approximately 80 children from Naggar and nearby villages are being taught Art in four departments: Indian Classical Music, Indian Classical Dance, Folk Drama and Painting. This Art School has been affiliated to Chandigarh Pracheen Kala Kendra University.
Students of this College have organized concerts at the occasion of Nicholas Roerich Annual Birth Celebration (9th October 03; 9th October 2004) and concert for the international level function, celebration of Svetoslav Roerich Centenary on 30th October, 2004; for Helena Roerich Birth Celebration (13.02.2005); for international function – celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the Roerich Pact and Banner of Peace (15.04.05).
ROERICH INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS
This bold project was initiated by the former Prime Minister of India, A.B.Vajpayee during his visit to the IRMT on 17th May, 2003; later followed by the approval of former Minister of Culture Mr Jagmohan and his consequent visit to the IRMT on 18th September 2003. The Master plan has been fully prepared by the Architect A.Noorani, presented to the Chief Minister of HP, Ambassador of Russia, former Minister of Culture, India. This may be the first Art College in Himachal Pradesh, and materialization of Roerich’s ideas.
Books, reproductions of Nicholas and Svetoslav Roerich’s paintings from the IRMT Gallery (cards, sets, posters), brochures, calendars, puzzles and souvenirs are being produced by the IRMT throughout the year.
Old buildings from the Roerich’s times are being reconstructed one after another, and thus again utilized for the Trust needs (Gardeners quarter, Fruit House).
Has been taken up for reconstruction and expected to be completed soon.
Top floor is already functioning: exhibition hall, seminar hall, IRMT souvenir shop, Tea bar.
Research Work
In different fields (Roerich’s heritage in India; Medicinal Plants cultivation; Himachal Pradesh folk heritage; Roerich Pact of Culture) is being undertaken.
Geographical area over which its activities are undertaken:
From the registered ‘Deed of Trust’:
“ 3. Area of Operation and Duration:
The territory in which the operations of the Trust are principally to be conducted is and shall be the territory of India, including the State of Jammu and Kashmir, and the duration of the Trust shall be unlimited.”
