This could be offered as an ad hoc custom tour for Indian groups, or groups with an interest in Anglo-Indian history and relations.

I’m extremely conscious of sensitivities here and the tour would set out to highlight and explore various facets of the Anglo-Indian relationship. Perhaps there would inevitably even be some controversy about including say Robert Clive – and whilst he was certainly a contentious figure he certainly contributed to the shaping of Anglo-Indian history, and therefore should be included but his presence should be contextualised by the history.

There is much to be discussed in terms of architecture – and both Lutyens and Baker designed much of New Delhi, and here are good examples of their work in London.

So this would be a tour examining some of the history between the countries and their people. It wouldn’t attempt to sanitise the history nor glory in colonialism, but look at both the good and bad blood between the countries.

So far as I know no one has done this before.

Potentially a big innovation for the Indian group market.

The tour would be around 2 1/2 – 3 hours. More with lunch.

Stop 1: Tata HQ Grosvenor Place

Something about this extraordinary company. India’s largest. And one of the largest in the world. Founded in 1868.

Stop 2: Taj St James’s Court Hotel
Owned by Tata

Stop 3: Parliament Sq –
Statue of Mahatma Ghandi

There are two statues of Ghandi in London and there is much to say about him.

Stop 4: Whitehall .
Lutyens Cenotaph.
George Gilbert Scott – Designer of Foreign Office and Mumbai University

Stop 5: Veeraswamy Restaurant
Oldest In UK 1926

Lunch could be arranged here but I think I’d recommend Colonel Saab in High Holborn.

Stop 6: Ghandi statue Tavistock Sq.
More about him studying Law @ UCL.

Stop 7: Indian High Commission building
Statue of Nehru

Stop 8: Guildhall
Presentation of Guildhall frontage.
Hindoo Gothic architectural style.

No point going to ToL, unless we go inside to see Koh-I-Nor

Stop 9: Buckingham Palace and Q Victoria
Talk about jewels, and QV and her connections with India.
Empress of India.