 Republic Day Celebration in UK
January 26 1999
 Since I can remember, I have always attended the ceremonies conducted with Chandra Kanta Gariyali, IASthe Independence Day and the Republic Day of India. When I was in school, we always went to the Red Fort on 15th August. We used to come very early and sit on the lawns and wait for our beloved Prime Minister Nehru to come and unfurl the national flag. He always made it a point to walk past us and shake hands with some of us.
Since my arrival in Tamilnadu in 1973, I have not missed a single ceremony. Last year I was a visiting fellow in the Queen Elizabeth House in Oxford. I often went to London to do reference work both at the India Office Library (library of the old colonial office for India) and the India House Library (library of the Indian Embassy).
As 26th January was approaching, I thought that for the first time I would be missing the Republic Day Parade in Madras. I specially love to watch the children’s cultural pageant that was started by me when I was the Collector of Madras. I was feeling sad and homesick.
All of a sudden, I received a surprise invitation from the Indian Embassy to attend the Republic Day reception at the India House. I understand that the librarian had suggested that I should be invited. I was very happy that I could be part of the celebrations, even when I was away from the motherland.
At the Indian Embassy standing at the entrance, were the Indian High Commissioner Salman Haider, in his Sherwani and his Hindu wife Kusum Haider in a beautiful Kanchipuram saree, looking radiant.
Mr. Haider had recently joined but it was his second stint in London. He is a favourite of all the old embassy staff. The elderly English lady who works as the librarian of the embassy adores him. One of his daughters studied in Oxford and was currently working in Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.
They personally received the guests. Everyone gathered in the main hall and the National flag was unfurled by our High Commissioner. He also read the speech delivered by the President of India in New Delhi that morning.
The reception which followed consisted of Champagne with samosas and unforgettable Kababs. I met the cream of the Indian Community like Baroness Shreela Flather, the first non-white woman to become a member of the House of Lords and journalists working for Indian publications like 'The Hindu'.
I was introduced to the grand daughter of Lord Clive who is presently a member of the House of Lords and was on a delegation to India as part of the 50th year of Independence celebrations.
I also met my old friend Pushkala Gopal from Madras, who has made quite a name for herself as a Bharat Natyam teacher in UK. Pushkala is married to my batch mate R. Gopal, an IAS officer of Maharashtra cadre.
I was the only lucky visiting scholar from India present and was very proud to be there. I invited Mr. Haider to Oxford and he did visit us eventually and dine with us in Queen Elizabeth House on 17th June. On this occasion, he also spoke on the justification of the Nuclear option exercised by India.
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