The High Commission of India in London is the diplomatic mission of India in the United Kingdom. It is located in India House on Aldwych, between Bush House, what was Marconi House (now

Citibank Citibank, N. A. (N. A. stands for " National Association") is the primary U.S. banking subsidiary of financial services multinational Citigroup. Citibank was founded in 1812 as the City Bank of New York, and later became First National City ...

) and Australia House. It faces both the London School of Economics and

King's College London King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public research university located in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of King George IV and the Duke of Wellington. In 1836, King's ...

. Since 1981, India House is a Grade II listed building.

History

In 1919, a committee chaired by the Marquess of Crewe determined there existed the need to separate the agency work of the

India Office The India Office was a British government department established in London in 1858 to oversee the administration, through a Viceroy and other officials, of the Provinces of India. These territories comprised most of the modern-day nations of I ...

from its other political and administrative roles, and recommended the transfer of all such work to "a High Commissioner for India or some similar Indian Governmental Representative in London." It was also felt popular opinion in India would view this as a step towards full

Dominion status The term ''Dominion'' is used to refer to one of several self-governing nations of the British Empire. "Dominion status" was first accorded to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland, South Africa, and the Irish Free State at the 1926 ...

for India."Chapter XV- The High Commissioner for India"
/ref> The Government of India Act 1919 upheld the recommendations of the committee, making provision for "the appointment of a High Commissioner by His Majesty by Order in Council, which might delegate to the official any of the contractual powers of the Secretary of State

or India Or or OR may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * "O.R.", a 1974 episode of List of M*A*S*H episodes (Season 3), M*A*S*H * Or (My Treasure), a 2004 movie from Israel (''Or'' means "light" in Hebrew) Music * Or (album), ''Or ...

in Council, and prescribe the conditions under which he should act on behalf of the Government of India or any Provincial Government." On 13 August 1920, King-Emperor George V issued the required Order in Council. Until India became independent in 1947, the post was styled "High Commissioner for India". The first High Commissioner for India was Indian Civil Service officer Sir William Stevenson Meyer; the first of Indian origin was Sir Dadiba Merwanji Dalal. The High Commissioner enjoyed the same status as his counterparts from the British Dominions. Upon Indian independence the post was given the present designation. Proposed in 1925 by the Indian High Commissioner Sir Atul Chatterjee, the building was designed by Sir Herbert Baker and completed in 1930. It was formally inaugurated on 8 July 1930 by the King-Emperor George V. A bust of Jawaharlal Nehru was unveiled by Prime Minister

John Major Sir John Major (born 29 March 1943) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997, and as Member of Parliament ...

in 1991.

Emblems

There are twelve emblems on the outside of the building representing the various

provinces of India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...

(under the British Raj), described as follows:

Gallery

File:High_Commission_of_India_in_London_2.jpg, The High Commission from India Place File:High_Commission_of_India_in_London_3.jpg, Close-up of some designs File:High_Commission_of_India_in_London_4.jpg, Bust of Jawaharlal Nehru on India Place

References

External links

Official site
{{coords, 51.5124, -0.1183, display=title London India Government buildings completed in 1930 India and the Commonwealth of Nations United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Nations India–United Kingdom relations Herbert Baker buildings and structures Grade II listed buildings in the City of Westminster Aldwych Buildings and structures completed in 1930

History

Emblems

See also

Gallery

References

External links