Kira Banasińska Explained

Kira Banasińska (1899-2002) was the wife of, the first Polish Consul-General of Poland in Bombay.[1] She was a representative of the Polish Red Cross in India. Kira cared for and helped in rehabilitating the lives of several thousand Polish children, women and old people who were refugees from Russia, who were accommodated during World War II [2] with local help in India.

Role in the Resettlement of Polish Refugees

While fleeing persecution in the erstwhile Soviet Union, thousands of malnourished Polish refugees had gathered on foot.[3] She led the movement in India to source relief and aid for the refugees.[4] She immediately initiated awareness campaigns and fundraisers in support of the refugees. Banasińska facilitated their entry into India on supply trucks. She then worked with government officials in Maharashtra and Gujarat to develop dedicated settlements for the refugees.

In 1942, she convinced Jam Sahib Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja of Nawanagar to shelter and school 1000 refugee Polish children at his winter home in Jamnagar-Balachadi.[5] [6] [7]

By 1943, she worked with the Jam Sahib to start construction for a family camp at a stretch of his land in Valivade, a quarter city of Kolhapur.[8] [9] [10] She helped move resources to build a large number of barracks to house over 6500 Poles. In 1945, the camp at Balachadi was closed and the children were transferred to the family camp in Valivade.[11] The city, situated 9 km away from Kolhapur, was home to 10,000 Polish refugees during 1943–1947.[12]

Personal life

In 1944, Kira Banasińska and her husband left their jobs in India, and moved to London after the war. Two years later, Kira - reluctant to reside in communist Poland - returned to India. In 1958, the couple applied for Indian citizenship.

Role in Montessori Education Movement in India

Banasińska pioneered Montessori Education in India with help from industrialist JRD Tata.[13]

Death

Kira lived to the age of 102 and died in Hyderabad in 2002. She was buried beside her husband in St Peter's cemetery at Mahalakshmi.[14]

Awards and recognition

in 1991, Banasińska was awarded the Order of Polonia Restituta, Poland's highest civilian order for her work on behalf of the children.[15]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: This Maharashtra Village Gave a Safe Home to 5000 Polish Refugees During WW2!. 12 Oct 2019. The Better India. en-US. 2019-11-25.
  2. Web site: Polish Indian Relations. newdelhi.mfa.gov.pl. 2019-11-25.
  3. Book: Bhattacharjee, Anuradha. The second homeland : Polish refugees in India. Herzog, Franek. 978-81-321-1143-6. New Delhi. 893681925. 2012-12-12.
  4. Web site: Slice of India in London. 30 Jun 2019. Tribune India.
  5. Web site: 'Little Poland' in Kolhapur. Yahoo. en-IN. 2019-11-25.
  6. Web site: Little Warsaw Of Kathiawar Outlook India Magazine. Outlook India. 20 Dec 2010. 2019-11-25.
  7. Web site: 'Little Poland' in Kolhapur. in.news.yahoo.com. en-IN. 2019-11-25. 29 Sep 2019.
  8. Web site: Refugee camps in India, Jamnagar-Balachadi. 8 June 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110713170807/http://kresy-siberia.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=47057. 13 July 2011. dead.
  9. https://web.archive.org/web/20120910203530/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-09-17/ahmedabad/27825350_1_maharaja-camps-jamnagar
  10. http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?268578 Little Warsaw Of Kathiawar
  11. Web site: A Little Poland in India / About. Solopreneur. 2019-11-25.
  12. Web site: The last Pole of Valivade. Deshp. Devidas. Pune Mirror. en. 2019-11-25. 25 Nov 2019. 2019-10-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20191020125307/https://punemirror.indiatimes.com/pune/cover-story/the-last-pole-of-valivade/articleshow/32090088.cms. dead.
  13. Book: Lala, R. M.. Beyond the last blue mountain : a life of J.R.D. Tata. 1993. Viking. 0-14-016901-6. New & updated. New Delhi, India. 41913377.
  14. Web site: » Kira Banasińska. kresy-siberia.org. 2019-11-25.
  15. Web site: Autobiografia. Polskie losy na krańcach świata. dzieje.pl. pl. 2019-11-25.