2nd Impression The Telegraph

2nd SECOND IMPRESSION

He presented his credentials to the Nepali court on 17 March 1995. A few months later I met him at the Italian embassy national day reception, June 2, 1995, at the Everest Sheraton and introduced myself to Ambassador Krishna Venkatesh Rajan- popularly known as Rajan. During the meeting I told him frankly that my newspaper had been in the blacklist of the Indian embassy simply because my weekly did not appreciate his predecessor’s certain activities aimed at directly interfering in Nepal’s internal affairs. In fact, Professor Bimal Prasad used to see Nepal’s Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala at his official residence right in the early morning on a regular basis. This process continued for long much to the discomfiture of the Prime minister himself and his men at the gate of the Premier’s residence as well. However, Ambassador Rajan assured me that he would refrain from such undiplomatic activities. Since then we both maintained friendship with each other.

All along these five years plus of his Kathmandu tenure I found in him a perfectly sober and serious diplomat who directed his efforts in giving a new height to Nepal-India ties. That he was serious in his efforts I could notice during my two exclusive trips to Biratnagar with him where in he during several meetings with local intellectuals, businessmen, media persons and the likes gave all and sundry the impression that he earnestly wished to expand our bilateral ties at all the possible levels.

I must thank him from the core of my heart for his kind attention towards my personal proposals that allowed various educational institutions in Biratnagar to receive books from the Embassy for their respective libraries. However, I’m not sure about the books he assured to the Degree campus in Biratnagar. In fact, Ambassador Rajan always encouraged the Nepal-SAARC Journalist Forum and appreciated what ever our forum had been accomplishing in promoting the SAARC spirit among the SAARC nations. In the process he facilitated two seminars in Biratnagar on Nepal-India ties and remained instrumental in bringing the journalists of the bordering journalists together through yet another seminar in Biratnagar.

On the forum’s request, Ambassador Rajan recognized posthumously the contribution of a Nepali media man who had been jailed during the Quit India movement, 1942. A purse of 50,000 rupees was handed over to the widow of the media man at the latter’s residence in the presence of a few local journalists. This event had touched my heart. A process had tentatively begun to honor the Nepali nationals who contributed for India’s independence. This should perhaps continue.

These incidents plus my close association with Indian Ambassador for quite a longer period were sufficient to dub me as ‘a man close to RAW’ to which some interested quarters publicized to the hilt. However, this did not deter me from discharging my duties on behalf of the SAARC journalists’ forum. We later managed a similar trip of Pakistan Ambassador Kamran Niaz to Pokhara. The Pokhara trip was a tremendous success. This prompted some ‘closely looking eyes’ in Kathmandu to brand me “a man close to ISI”. Thanks the Almighty that two diametrically opposed sets of intelligence agencies were close to me. A distinction perhaps none have enjoyed so far in Nepal. Thanks heaven! My friends have no knowledge, I suppose, of the intelligence services of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh or else they would have dubbed me as their ‘agents’ as well. That would have been pretty prestigious for my newspaper and me.

This notwithstanding, Ambassador Rajan never took me otherwise so did Ambassador Kamran. Ambassador Fouzia Nasereen is also very close to me and to our SAARC Journalists forum and we value her friendship. Time permitting we will also arrange similar trips for her. It is perhaps in the pipeline.

Few events with Ambassador Rajan I shall never forget. The first was during the honoring of late Kishori Rana, which I’ve already mentioned above. The second was being Ambassador Rajan and Geeta Rajan paying a courtesy call on my parents in Biratnagar some two years back. I recall how my bed-ridden mother blessed Madame Rajan and offered loving care to her and in turn madame Geeta was all full of tears . Uncommon moment in my life which I shall never forget. At that time my father, 81, too had become sentimental, I recall.

The irony of the fact is that my newspaper broke the news of Ambassador Rajan’s Nepal posting. This time as well we broke the news that he is packing and that Dev Mukerjee would replace him.

As Indian Ambassador, Rajan might have extracted heavy concessions from Nepal during bilateral negotiations. However, this was his duty as representative of his Republic. If we failed during the talks then that should be our weakness and not the highhandedness of Ambassador Rajan.

The beauty of my relation with Rajan had been that I never asked for any support from him. In turn he never wished to exploit his personal rapport with my newspaper and me. That was of it all.

This notwithstanding, our friendship took a nosedive during this year. Rajan preferred to keep a distance to which I reciprocated. However, Ambassador Rajan’s total reluctance exhibited in attending my daughter’s wedding ceremony reception will perhaps take long time to forget for obvious reasons.

All the best to you my dear friend. Accept blessings from my parents who waited all along at the wedding ceremony to see you and your wife.