India's renaissance man

Manote Tripathi

The Nation 

 In Thailand recently to cast a watchful eye over the launch of Bangkok's first Indian cultural centre, Dr Karan Singh was satisfied to see the arts of his homeland bubbling up in another international outpost.

Opened in September, the gleaming Bt5-million centre operated by the Indian embassy occupies 800 square metres on the top two floors of Jasmine City Tower at the mouth of Sukhumvit Soi 23.

 Already on offer are classes in yoga, bharata natayam dance and the sitar and tabla drum. The centre also hosts art exhibitions and cultural seminars.

 Sharing the credit with Dr Singh are Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) director-general Virendra Gupta, Indian Ambassador Latha Reddy and Renuka Narayanan, the centre's director.

As ICCR president, Dr Singh is tasked with opening as many Indian cultural centres in Asia as possible as part of his country's "Look East" campaign. 

 "What's bringing India and Thailand closer is the shared cultural heritage. The region has been host to the glory of Indian culture for a long time, without India having used any kind of force or colonialism," he says.

  The ICCR's core mission is to establish four Indian cultural centres per year across the globe. Since taking up the presidency four years ago, Singh has ushered in a period of cultural expansion with openings in Kathmandu, Kabul and Dhaka. More are coming, in Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur, before the end of the year. "We've tried Pakistan, but to no avail."

 "Having set up centres in many countries in the West, India is looking east. Our main goal is to develop people-to-people contact. And this can be done through music, art and dance."

  To high-ranking Indian officials like Indian ambassador Latha Reddy, Singh has a reputation as a Renaissance man, recognised for his wide-ranging knowledge as well as a stellar career in Indian politics that's spawned various sought-after jobs. 

 Born heir apparent to the Maharaja Hari Singh and Maharani Tara Devi of Jammu and Kashmir, Singh was appointed regent by his father at the age of 18 and went on to serve as governor of the state.

  At 36, he became the youngest person to serve as a cabinet minister, while his brief tenure as Indian ambassador to the US won India many new friends as well as favourable media coverage.

 On the personal front, Singh is the only former ruler of a princely state who surrendered his right to the government's privy-purse payments. He has converted his Amar Mahal Palace in Jammu into a museum that houses his priceless collection of Pahari miniatures and modern Indian art as well as his personal library of over 20,000 volumes.  His wife, Princess Yasho Rajya Lakshmi, the grand-daughter of the last Rana prime minister of Nepal, Maharaja Mohun Shumsher, is an eminent social worker.

 Currently head of his government's foreign affairs committee and a member of the Congress party, Singh says he carries the baggage of his aristocratic background wherever he goes in Indian politics. It's been both a help and a hindrance to his career.

 "I've always played my role within a democratic framework. It [royalty] helps in that I have a strong political base. It hinders me because some people are prejudiced by the fact that I'm the son of a maharaja. It works both ways!"

 As a politician, he's happy to be witnessing India, as the world's largest democracy, evolving to take its place alongside China as a great world power.  

 "China has an authoritarian system. They don't have democracy. But we have chosen democracy as our vehicle, which is sometimes much slower than [a Chinese-style] system. But that's the way we've decided to go.

 Most importantly, a democratic India has a lot to offer to the world, he says. He believes democracy works well in reflecting his country's ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity. That respect for different views is what's created the rich mix of art and traditions that Singh is spreading to the world through the ICCR's cultural campaign.

  "The inner spirit of Indian culture involves the acceptance of forces from every side.

 "I'd like Thais to see India as a country that's both ancient and modern, a country that's rooted in its cultural and spiritual traditions, and yet not caught in them, but moving forward into the future while reinterpreting our spiritual heritage for the global society. I want to help the world understand the relevance of Indian traditions to the global community. That's what I see as our special mission," he says with a grin.