Cultural ambassador

These days I go far too often — sadly — to the Golders Green Crematorium in north London. Last Sunday, it was to bid farewell to Srichand Parmanand Hinduja, the head of the Hinduja business empire, who died in London, aged 87, on May 17. He got me up for many, many dawn walks in St James’s Park.

Relatives and friends packed the West Chapel, where there was a garlanded portrait of SP and two ‘Om’ symbols illuminated high on a wall. Others followed a live streaming as Hindu priests led prayers and a rendering of “ Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram ”.

Shortly afterwards, there was a memorial meeting at Soane Hall in Marylebone, where SP’s younger brother, Gopi, said he had “received many letters from prime ministers, presidents, and rulers of different countries,” including condolence messages from Rishi Sunak and Manmohan Singh.

Rishi’s letter — read out by SP’s youngest brother, Ashok — said that “he led the Hinduja group with great pride, making it into one of the UK’s most successful businesses. SP was undoubtedly a unique figure in London. He adored this great country and he made it his mission in life to give back to Britain, which had granted him and his family so many opportunities. In doing so, he always promoted his proud Indian culture and traditions, playing a particular key role in promoting Indian art. His Diwali receptions were rightly famous.”

Cherie Blair, who attended both the funeral and the memorial, relayed the sentiments of her husband, the former prime minister, Tony Blair: “He knew how to succeed in making money. But he knew money was not an end in itself.”

Past lessons

Nandini Das, who is an Oxford don, discussed her book, Courting India: England, Mughal India and the Origins of Empire, at the Khushwant Singh Literary Festival, which was held on the weekend at SOAS. Nandini’s book deals in part with the life and times of Thomas Roe, the English ambassador to the court of the Emperor Jahangir for three years until 1619.

“What does history, especially your book, teach us?” I asked Nandini after her session. “Religious tolerance,” she replied. “When Roe came back to England from India, he was asked how unity could be achieved. Roe talked about how different religions co-existed in India. His answer was, ‘Religious tolerance.’”

Courtesy: The Telegraph – Online