The NMML is a unique institution which attempts to recollect, preserve and reconstruct the history of the anti-imperialist struggle in India. It is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Culture and was founded in 1964 after the death of Jawaharlal Nehru. It was envisioned as a world-class institution of advanced study which would foster academic research on modern and contemporary history.
In August 1948, Teen Murti House became the official residence of independent India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru who lived here for sixteen years until his death on 24 May 1964. After his death, it was decided Teen Murti Bhawan, should be converted into a museum and a library which would cater to all kinds of research on the Indian freedom movement and aspects of contemporary history.
Initially, the Museum was set up in the eastern wing and the Library in the western wing of the sprawling building. With the passage of time and the rapid growth of research material in the Library, more space was required and an exclusive Library building was constructed. It was inaugurated by the then President, V. V. Giri, in January 1974. However, the steady increase in the volume of material required for research further necessitated the construction of an annexe building, which was completed in 1989. The Centre for Contemporary Studies was set up in this building as a new unit in 1990.
Over the past decades, the NMML has emerged as a premier institution of research on the history, society and thought of the modern and the contemporary period. It endeavours constantly to maintain and enhance its reputation as a centre of academic excellence, trying simultaneously to popularize the ideas and values of Jawaharlal Nehru and the movement for India’s independence. Our institution is an important example of a vibrant and enduring academic culture in India.
Lectures and Seminars constitute an important activity of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library. They are regularly organized and their deliberations are published. Tuesday Seminars are held to facilitate discussions between scholars while an annual Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Lecture is organized every year.
Over the years, the NMML has enhanced and expanded its academic resources considerably. The Library today houses not just an exhaustive collection of published material on numerous aspects of modern and contemporary history but also possesses an impressive and diverse archival holding. All our holdings are regularly updated, expanded and made available for research. These characteristics make the NMML a major academic destination for scholars from different disciplines and varied areas of interest.
On 14 November 1964, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan formally dedicated the Teen Murti House to the nation for housing a museum and Library. Later, on 1 April 1966, the Government set up the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library Society to manage the institution as an autonomous body. The institution has today emerged as a place of pilgrimage for the Indian masses on the one hand, and as a premier research centre and a forum for intellectual activity on the other.
