On September 8, 2025, the History students of class XII-A, Humanities stream, Unity College, undertook an insightful educational visit to UP State Archives, Mahanagar Extension, Lucknow. Accompanied by their teachers, Ms Nisar Fatima Rizvi and Mr Mohd Mohiuddin, the visit offered a rare opportunity to step beyond textbooks and experience India’s historical legacy at close quarters.
The excursion commenced with a guided tour of the library, where the students explored rare artefacts and original literary works from the Ancient, Medieval, and Modern periods of Indian history. They were then introduced to the exclusive record rooms and the deacidification chamber, where preservation methods for valuable handwritten manuscripts were explained. Techniques such as the use of silica gel and delicate tissue papers for lamination left the students with a deeper understanding of conservation practices. Among the most striking exhibits were the Original Map of Lucknow dating back to 1871, which recorded 82 mohallas of that era, and the original telegram conveying the sorrowful news of Rani LaxmiBai’s martyrdom, sent by a British officer to Lord Canning. The visit furthered the students’ knowledge through an exhibition on India’s Freedom Struggle. The collection of documents, photographs, and artefacts vividly depicted the sacrifices and courage of freedom fighters, stirring in the young visitors both admiration and patriotic pride.
On behalf of the entire team, Haniya Zahra of class XII A conveyed expressed heartfelt gratitude to Mr Amitabh Pandey, Archivist, along with Mr Anjini Kumar Tripathi, Mr Shiv Kumar Yadav, and Mr Vijay Srivastava, for their patient guidance and explanations. Special thanks were also extended to Secretary Mr Najmul Hasan Rizvi, Principal Mr Deepak Mervyn Mathews and Vice Principal Mr Sachindra Bharti for their invaluable support in making this trip a success.
The enriching experience deepened students’ appreciation of India’s historical journey and instilled in them a renewed respect for the sacrifices that shaped the nation’s independence.
