Madras Sappers Museum opens to the public in Bengaluru

Two years ago, Kayal Kanni, the granddaughter of a Sapper, Marimuthu, visited the Madras Sappers Museum and Archives (MSMA) — that showcases the past of the Madras Engineer Group (called the Sappers, a regiment raised successful 1780 ) — successful Bengaluru to larn astir however her gramps passed away. 

Kayal, who visited with her mother, sister, and cousins, says, “My parent Maheshwari was conscionable a twelvemonth aged erstwhile helium went to Singapore to combat successful the Second World War. She was lone 2 erstwhile helium passed distant there. The household came to cognize of his decease lone aft the warfare ended and a captive of warfare from a neighbouring colony informed america aft helium returned home.” Kayal initially went to Singapore looking for his burial spot but “we recovered lone Christian and Muslim graves. We were told that the Hindus were cremated. After we learnt that my gramps was successful the Madras Sappers, we visited the depository to larn more.” 

Colonel Uday Sankeshwar (Retired), Director, MSMA, which opened to the nationalist connected June 1, 2026, says, “We showed them his photographs and this besides helped america place images from that play arsenic galore were undocumented. It was an emotionally-charged meeting.” 

This experience, among galore others, is possibly what led the Indian Army to unfastened the Madras Sappers Museum to the nationalist for the archetypal clip since it was archetypal acceptable up successful 1979. The museum, helium shares, was started with the volition of telling the past of the Sappers, the oldest regiment of the Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army. “The squad began with collecting artefacts specified arsenic store instruments, medals, machinery, weapons, and photographs that were talented to the depository by retired officers,” says Colonel Uday, who took complaint successful 2024 with the volition of making it “permissible to the younger generation”.

The depository houses an outdoor gallery, and an indoor 1 that spans 3 halls. Over 250 photographs person been restored, galore enhanced utilizing AI, that showcase the Sappers’ history: snapshots of drill signifier astatine Ulsoor Lake, a radical repairing a breach successful a railway enactment adjacent the Tigris successful West Asia, recruitment drills, and triumph parades to sanction a few. The meticulously elaborate artefacts displayed crossed the halls archer the communicative of the wars fought, regimental history, and item engineering equipment, instruments, and prototype mines. Some of the prized artefacts see a 13th Century fired clay vase from China, a bronze doorbell from China’s Peiping Temple, a Japanese samurai sword, intricately hand-drawn Burma and Indo-China maps connected silk, and a mural made by a thambi (the Madras Sappers’ troops are fondly referred to arsenic thambis) that outlines their footprint pre and station the World Wars.

Overlooking documentation aside, exposing young minds to the Indian Army is simply a precedence astatine the museum. And this is being done by mode of an internship programme that was launched 2 years ago. The squad is unfastened to assemblage students studying the Arts — Political Science, History, Sociology, and Psychology. “A pupil who interned with america and studied subject science has present landed a occupation astatine the Army schoolhouse successful Jaipur,” helium shares.

In a bid to marque the depository accessible to divers audiences, it has been made accessible to radical with disabilities by including a ramp, and audio, braille guides are successful the works. “These are tiny steps we are taking to beryllium inclusive and self-reliant. Having said that, updating the depository is an ongoing programme and we are unfastened to volunteers and donors with CSR funds.” Since January 2026, practice walks person been hosted astatine The Madras Sappers Headquarters by Bengaluru Prayana. “Held connected 1 Saturday each month, this locomotion tells the past of the city, however Bangalore Cantonment came into being, however it expanded, and however the metropolis has grown astir it,” helium says. Initiatives, helium believes, are important for the younger procreation to get involved. “They not lone physique quality and personality, but assistance youngsters get implicit the fearfulness of uniformed personnel. They get to spot things beyond societal media,” helium concludes.

Madras Sappers Museum and Archives is unfastened Monday to Saturday from 9am to 3pm. It is located astatine The MEG Centre, Kensington Road, Ulsoor. Tickets are astatine ₹50 for an adult, and ₹20 for a kid beneath 10 years. For details, telephone 6363838095.