During World War II, in 1942-1948, a camp for 5,000 Polish refugees was established in Valivade near Kolhapur. In Valivade camp, children, teenagers and women found shelter and over time, the camp became the center of Polish refugees in India with its own schools, church and even a cinema. Polish refugees found a home here and a normal life, calling the camp “little Poland”.
On 14 September Embassy of the Republic of Poland in New Delhi, Instytut Polski Nowe Delhi, Government of Maharashtra and Rajya Sabha Member Yuvraj Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati organized an event in Kolhapur to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the outbreak of II World War. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Marcin Przydacz was the Chief Guest of the event. Minister Przydacz together with MP Yuvraj Sambhaji Chhatrapati unveiled the Memorial Pillar and inaugurated the construction of the Museum.