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| IN MEMORIAM: Salman Khurshid laying a wreath in Ireland |
Bhopal tragedy older than Kanishka
A few days ago in the village of Ahakista in western Ireland, Salman Khurshid represented the Indian government at a poignant ceremony to mark the 25th anniversary of the downing of Air India’s “Kanishka” on June 23, 1985, in which 329 passengers and crew were killed.
“It is difficult to imagine that this tranquil spot in a place of such great natural beauty is also the scene of one of the worst brutalities of our era,” said Salman.
He then flew to London carrying images still fresh from the memorial service, where 75 relatives of the victims, including children, were present.
“These were children who had not been born when their family members died but they were still crying,” Salman said.
Salman’s grandfather was Zakir Hussain, who, before becoming president of India, would distribute prizes at St Xavier’s School, Patna, as governor of Bihar.
Salman, who was himself a pupil at the school, later took a rare “congratulatory First” at Oxford.
He will deserve further congratulations if he is able, as corporate affairs minister, to help remove the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal where the cyanide tragedy, shockingly, predates Kanishka by six months.
Salman says some of the NGOs don’t want the mess cleaned up — “if it was, they would have nothing to do”.
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| BUSINESS TALK: Priya Paul stands out in her red jacket next to Suhel Seth (centre) |
CII calling
Every year the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) sends a high-powered business delegation to London with the aim of attracting the billions of dollars of investment needed to build a “more inclusive India”.
The CII’s master stroke is to bring along one Suhel Seth, a public orator and newspaper agony uncle, whose main task is to rubbish all the pro-India propaganda he accuses the CII bigwigs of making.
This reinforces the impression that India is an open society that tolerates dissent and that the said bigwigs, hereinafter referred to as captains of industry, are basically telling the truth.
In the CII family photograph outside 10, Downing Street, Suhel modestly positioned himself right in the centre.
On his right was Calcutta girl and Lord Swraj Paul’s niece Priya Paul, chairman, Apeejay group, who told the joint CII-LSE conference of the scope for expansion in tourism, especially since over 5,00,000 Indians come to the UK every year (mainly, it seems to me, to shop in Oxford Street and catch a Shakespeare play).
Priya should come more often, if only because her lovely red jacket stood out among the dark suits.
Friendly ties
The London School of Economics’s director, Sir Howard Davies, who wore an old CII tie — a conservative, dark purple affair — expressed reservations about the new bright red tie affected by the organisation’s director general, Chandrajit Banerjee.
“He is wearing the new CII tie, I am wearing the old CII tie,” boasted Davies. “This is one case where change is not synonymous with progress.”
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Blood brothers
David Cameron will receive a full ceremonial welcome when the British Prime Minister arrives in India for a “state visit” at the end of this month.
What people think of his declared aim to forge a “new special relationship” with India was the subject of much chit-chat when the CII held a reception at the V&A last week.
Anwar Hasan, managing director, Tata Ltd (UK), said: “What the UK needs to do is to do something that is a game changer — not the usual. Something like the US-India civil nuclear deal. That was a game changer.”
Standing next to him, Abigail Mookien, a property sales executive, observed: “Everybody wants a special relationship with India.”
Rajive Kaul, chairman, Nicco Corporation, and former CII president, commented: “Our relationship has always been good but it needs to be taken to a new height.”
Phiroz Vandrevala, executive director, Tata Consultancy Services, welcomed Cameron’s commitment: “I personally believe that saying something is as important as doing it.”
The wisest words came from management guru Suhel Seth: “If you treat India as your mistress, you will love her more. If you treat India as your wife you will take her for granted.”
Kipling, anyone?
Naresh Kumar tells me that Rudyard Kipling’s poem, If, which he learnt at St Xavier’s School in Calcutta, helped guide his behaviour on court when he was planning tennis for India.
The former Davis Cup captain was speaking to me, not at Wimbledon, but at the V&A where his artist wife, Sunita, had teamed up with M.F. Husain to exhibit a selection of paintings to mark Mother Teresa’s birth centenary.
“The boys wanted me to protest about every dodgy umpiring decision but I told them I wouldn’t,” he recalled.
At tense moments, the message behind Kipling’s If came flooding back: “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and abusing the umpire... you’ll be a better tennis player, my son!”
Naresh reached the fourth round at Wimbledon in 1955.
Coming to Cal
Jaguar cars had an exciting track event day at the Goodwood motor circuit in Sussex last week where it showed off some of the swish models which will be on sale in Calcutta.
To the showsrooms already opened in Mumbai, New Delhi and Hyderabad, Tata-owned Jaguar are adding new ones in Ludhiana, Chennai, Bangalore, Kochi, Ahmedabad — and Calcutta where Mamata will probably be offered courtesy chief ministerial use of one.
Though I can just about afford the Metro to and from Chandni, I have booked space in the Salboni complex in Belgachia for a Jaguar XJ, a XF, a XK and possibly even a classic E-type.
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Tittle tattle
Ramola Bachchan was named “Queen Bee” for the legendary networking parties she hosted at her home in Hampstead, north London. When she returned to India six years ago, “after 20 years abroad, three in Switzerland and 17 in England”, the Queen Bee baton passed to Surina Narula, who has acquitted her responsibilities with great distinction.
Last weekend, Surina and her businessman husband, Harpinder Singh Narula (who sponsor the Jaipur literary festival), were “at home”.
There was a touching moment when Ramola, in London for a short visit, was spotted chatting with Surina.
There has been a purpose behind their parties — before Indians were generally excluded from the best English parties. But increasing business wealth has enabled Indian entrepreneurs to create a parallel diaspora party circuit which is bigger and better.
And Surina and Ramola have been the leading brand ambassadors for the “India Party”.
