Horticultural Society Rebuffs Mittal Refuses To Host Mittal'S Function

He may be the world's richest Indian, but Calcutta, his hometown, is proving to be something of a stumbling block for Lakshmi Niwas Mittal, celebrated steel baron and chief of Ispat International.

LN, as he is popularly known in the world's corporate firmament, had planned to hire the lawns of the lush green Horticultural Gardens in the upmarket Alipore area of Calcutta for his son Aditya's wedding in December this year.

But he had reckoned without the governing council of the Agri-Horticultural Society. At its last meeting, the society turned down Mittal's request for using the lawns, saying the lawns were meant for nature lovers and letting it out for a mega marriage would set a wrong precedent.

 

The council has industrialist Sudarshan Kumar Birla as president and a number of prominent Calcutta industrialists as members.

Consequently, Mittal is now looking for an alternative venue for the marriage of the decade, which is expected to witness a sea of VIPs descending on Calcutta _ from Presidents and Prime Ministers to the creme de la creme of the world's corporate circles.

A spokesperson for L N Mittal in Calcutta declined to comment on the refusal by the society, saying it was a personal matter of the Mittal family.

Says M K Jalan of Keventer Agro, who is also senior vice-president of the Agri-Horticultural Society, "How can we go against horticulture?"

"The committee has not agreed to the request since the lawns are only for horticulture and for flower lovers," says a senior corporate executive who is also a member of the society's council.

He said the gardens already house the Kanoi Hall, which is regularly used as a venue for marriages. But the reasoning is that allowing a marriage on the lawns itself would not be in keeping with the basic objective of the society of promoting horticulture.

"It's not against any individual. It's just a question of principle. If we allow it this time, the entire lawns would be converted into a Kanoi Hall," the member said.

He said there was unanimity within the council that the lawns should not be hired out for marriages or such other functions.

"People go for walks in the lawns. They also love the flowers."

But horticultural gardens or otherwise, the Mittal mega marriage is bound to make the glitterati sit up and take notice.

While Calcutta's corporate grapevine has it that Mittal plans to book a huge number of rooms at the Taj Bengal for guests, a Taj Bengal spokesperson would not comment on the issue.

"It's too early and we do not have any information on the bookings. Maybe you could check closer to the marriage date," was all she would say.