The Nehru Centre in London has become, over recent weeks, the activity hub of public diplomacy for India. Virtually every day there is an event and a variety of people attending diverse programming. This Centre in London, much like the British Council in India, is finally making its presence felt. Having been the cultural arts and heritage space, it has begun to adjust its original mandate. Pavan Varma, its new Director, has decided to extend into the strengths of contemporary and a new, emerging India and have that new idiom represented here as well. This will draw different interests and attract a non-obvious crowd of people rather than only the old India hands.
A few days ago there was a painting exhibition by a painter from England, Tony Hitchcock, entitled Motherland. Born to an Indian mother and English father, Hitchcock has brought the changing face of life in the north of India onto his canvasses. There are discussions on India as an important tourist destination. Shashi Tharoor spoke here recently on Nehru with an overflow of listeners that extended onto the street! There are book launches, readings, dance, music and films happening here on 8 South Audley Street in Mayfair in Central London. The building, owned by the government of India, is a heritage building that sits on a prime location ? half the battle won. But, and there is always a but when dealing with the authority of government, the Nehru Centre needs some serious upgradation of facilities if it is to do all that it has set itself out to do in an effort to keep the vitality of India ? its past, present and future ? at centre stage.
This institution must put in a state of the art auditorium to do justice to all the many shows and a competitive conference facility. It must also have some financial flexibility to ensure that the systems work smoothly and in a manner that does not smack of third world operational tack. The new systems that have been put in place will need constant maintenance and development. Government must put its money where its mouth is. Exchanges with neighbouring European countries could well become part of the programming and the national carrier could participate in bringing people to this hub. Let us not lose this fresh momentum, this new spurt of the spirit of India.
London is crawling with those who have escaped from Delhi. Then, there is the crowd which has become resident in this city. It is as though one never left the shores of India. In fact, it is no escape at all ? familiar faces appear everywhere, on the streets, in the shops, at restaurants and shows. Clearly, one will have to savour London after September to feel one has left home for a change of environment. News from India is doled out on Star News and through the Asian Age and because there is no supplementary news that we are used to through the oral tradition when in India, one cannot get a real sense of what is happening. It is all too simplistic and superficial.
Often the FT of London gives you a far more substantial story than our own media here. During the immediate post-election period, Indian political news hogged the pages and Sonia Gandhi stepping back after having got total endorsement, conquered the media and people by her political acumen. India and her politics were being looked at with a new respect.
Unfortunately the pace of news in this area has slowed down to the point of being virtually non-existent at the moment. Why do we always lose the opportunity? Why do we not let loose a barrage of information, interviews, new ideas et al in the international press? From a high, why do we start slipping down the ladder?
With many important nations on the edge of elections, with the turmoil that has exploded with the positions England has taken on the Iraq war and therefore Bush, electoral politics are exciting and unpredictable. Recent elections in Britain showed a clear swing away from the Labour Party. In the European vote, the anti-EU signal was clear. How will all this impact on the general elections one does not know but listening to people it is like deja vu. Labour will return, Tony Blair will pull it off, very similar to the pre-poll talk in India. And we know how isolated the ruling party was from the reality!
The impression one gets is that the world is sick and tired of the breed of politicians we have seen over the last many decades. They are hoping for compassion and sane, non-mercenary leadership that is tolerant and not aggressive. Alas, the rulers worldwide do not seem to recognise what is happening right under their noses and are alienated from their constituents. A new political cancer.