Rich tributes paid to V K Krishna Menon in UK

Rich tributes were paid to former defence minister and India's first high commissioner to the UK V K Krishna Menon at a function here with officials lauding his role in India's nation building.
"We remember him in his different roles -- a freedom fighter, a scholar, a politician, the first Indian elected Councillor in the UK, first High Commissioner to the UK and the first Ambassador to the United Nations," India's Deputy High Commissioner to the UK Dr Virendra Paul said at the event 'Remembering Menon on his 120th Birth Anniversary' organised by the V K Krishna Menon Institute at the Nehru Centre here.

"He was a personality who made a huge impact and made a huge difference," Paul said yesterday as he lauded Menon's role in India's nation building.
Dr Cyriac Maprayil, Executive Director of the V K Krishna Menon Institute, recalled the crucial role played by Menon while living in the UK before India's Independence.
"He was elected as a Councillor at the Camden Borough way back in 1934 and continued to be a Councillor for the next 14 years. During that period, he set up a series of Libraries in the Borough. Subsequently, he was chosen as a 'Freeman of the Borough of St Pancreas'. Earlier only George Bernard Shaw was chosen for the title," Maprayil said.

Menon set up the India League in the UK and used it effectively to create public opinion in favour of India's independence, Maprayil said.

"He fought for India's independence but once India was declared independent, he was willing to come and make friendship with the United Kingdom on equal terms," he said.
Menon's lasting contribution to the British society was setting up the Penguin publication which brought out affordable books to educate the Britishers about the need for giving independence to India, Veteran British Statesman Sir Peter Lloyd said.
He said, "it was very hard to blame him for India's defeat at the hands of China in the 1962 war".