New Delhi, Aug. 15 -- As India marks its 80th Independence Day, the story of the nation's rise is inextricably linked to one of the most remarkable human turnarounds in modern history: the spirit of Partition survivors.

Uprooted by the 1947 migration, which displaced an estimated 12 million people, millions of refugees started over from absolute zero to become key architects of India's economic, scientific, and cultural foundation.

The immense loss of Partition was met with unprecedented grit. Prominent voices highlighted how displaced families helped lay the groundwork for major industrial and commercial institutions.

Speaking exclusively to ANI, Kishwar Desai, Founder and Chair of the Partition Museum, said the contribution of refuge...