The 1947 Partition Archive

JUST IN: After 75 years he still remembers how to get to his house in West Punjab. The Wagah Border doesn’t play a role… Excerpt from interview with Jagar Singh by #1947StoryScholar Gurmeet Singh.

APPLY NOW! Applications are open for the 2026 Summer and Fall Internship and Apprenticeship cycles! The deadline to apply is March 15 for the Summer and April 30 for the Fall. Applications are open at: 1947partitionarchive.org/internships/ We look forward to receiving your application!

February 28, 2026: Unleash the power of storytelling! Join our FREE Oral History Workshop and learn to capture stories in your community, especially of #1947Partition witnesses. Citizen Historians receive certificates. Sign up: 1947partitionarchive.org/collect_stories #1947Partition #OralHistory

📅 February 14, 2026: Preserve your family stories for free! Join our next #oralhistory workshop and learn to safeguard #1947Partition stories in your community. Sign up: in.1947partitionarchive.org/collect_stories 🗂️ #1947Partition #OralHistory

In loving memory of Begum Afroze Jehan 1939 - 2025 “We didn’t know if we would make it. Most of the trains arriving in #Delhi were filled with the dead. Finally, we boarded a train bound for #Lahore. I heard the driver was not allowed to stop until we crossed the border.”

🗓️ February 7, 2026: Join us in safeguarding endangered memories! The Archive's latest Oral History Workshop is here, giving voice to individuals who witnessed Partition. Reserve your spot: 1947partitionarchive.org/collect_storie… 🗂️ #1947Partition #OralHistory

In loving memory of Pinaki Shankar Sarkar 1936-2020 “I envision the two parts of #Bengal being reunited someday, similar to how Germany was reunified in the 90s. I’ll probably never get to see it with my own eyes though,” Pinaki Shankar Sarkar shares.

“I had to create a pseudonym to hide my radio performances from my family. I created and performed dramas for All India Radio that targeted female audiences. My dramas led to a career in radio after I migrated from #Calcutta to #Dhaka,” Shaukat Sheik says. #10000Memories

A mob attacked Tarlochan Singh’s village in West #Punjab for three days while he and his family fled on the rooftops and hid in a large haveli. He believes it was a miracle that an army regiment saw the fires burning in his village and came to help. Interview by @siddhantkalra

Remembering Professor Jagdish Chander Katyal 1932 - 2021 “Rumors about the #1947Partition began circulating in #Lyallpur when I was fifteen. We were told to prepare for every circumstance. When trouble began, we were bundled into a truck and driven to #Zira in search of safety.”

“There was an eerie feeling, as if portending the tragedy that would follow in the months leading up to Partition. By August, the streets had been deserted as #Lahore was struck by riots,” Kanwal Iqbal Singh says. Her family left Lahore on August 7 for #Dharamshala.

"We ran to the forest to hide whenever our homes were attacked. Riots became frequent occurrences in #Jessore. At night, I could hear them chanting." Due to the riots, Ashoke Kumar Das’s father sent him to #Kolkata to continue his studies. Mr. Das has lived there since then.

After the #1947Partition, Iqbal Chand Jain's grandfather and father lost their wealth and their moneylending business went bankrupt. The people who owed them money had migrated, taking their belongings with them.

🗓️ January 17, 2026: Discover the power of oral history! Join our upcoming workshop and learn to document community stories. Become a Citizen Historian and earn a certificate. Register now: in.1947partitionarchive.org/collect_stories 🗂️ #1947Partition #OralHistory

“Miscreants stood on the sidewalks, grabbing at the belongings of fleeing people. Some could be seen sharpening their knives. Houses burned in the distance,” Sudesh Katyal says. Her family migrated from #Jhang and later settled in #Jalandhar.

“When we made the journey from #Lahore to #Amritsar, water was so scarce that my father collected rainwater in his palms and gave it to me to drink,” Surinder Kaur shares. Her family settled in #Jalandhar where she grew up and became a teacher. Interview by @Maninde73664366

“The bullet just missed my mother as she was standing in our garden. This incident was the last straw that drove us out of #Lahore” Gay Bawa Odmark. “My mother and I sailed to #England where we lived for a year. During that time, we had little contact with my father.”

Dear family, we are so grateful to you for exploring our community stories and uncovering Partition histories together. We look forward to continuing this journey with you in 2026. Wishing you a Happy New Year! 🥳

“On my third birthday, my family migrated from #Sindh following the announcement of the #1947Partition. We sailed to #Bombay (#Mumbai) because the ship we boarded happened to be going there. My parents rarely discussed Partition with us afterward,” Asha Sunder Idnani says.

FREEDOM FIGHTER: Undeterred by multiple gunshot wounds, 72-year-old Matangini Hazra continued her advance, holding up the Indian tricolor flag and shouting "Vande Mataram!" Her resistance intensified the Quit India Movement in #Midnapore, #Bengal.

“At 17, I joined a group that went from camp to camp, rescuing people who hid in schools to avoid the #Noakhali Riots of 1946,” Santoshmoy Chakraborty shares. “After Mahatma Gandhi visited East Bengal, peace prevailed.” #10000Memories