Regards, Ivan
Posted on 07/08/2004 10:33:30 PM PDT by MadIvan
A chain of booksellers that has been synonymous with Indian rail travel for 125 years is facing the axe because it sounds too English.
The threat to A H Wheeler & Co, which published Rudyard Kipling when he was all but unknown, was announced live on television when Laloo Prasad Yadav, the railways minister, delivered his budget.
He departed from his prepared text to say in Hindi: "Wheeler, Wheeler, Wheeler. Why do we have a Wheeler bookstall everywhere? The English have left this country long back."
Mr Yadav said the government had decided in principle to cancel the company's contract to run station bookstalls and invite open bidding.
Such a move might have been expected to find favour with the masses. But Mr Yadav may have miscalculated.
The company has 258 outlets and is held in deep affection by many Indians who associate its name with the romance of rail travel.
While "A H Wheeler" sounds quintessentially English, the company is an entirely Indian-owned enterprise that was founded by a French author, Emile Moreau, and an Indian businessman in 1877. Amit Bannerjee, whose great-great-grandfather, T K Bannerjee, was the Indian partner, said he was bewildered by Mr Yadav's decision to withdraw the chain's virtual monopoly at stations.
"The only English thing about the company is its name, which was thought to be good for business in those days," he said.
More than 50 years after India gained independence, the appeal of Englishness is not what it was. But the shops are still popular.
The firm continues to operate in loss-making outlying stations and for many Indians it is the only source of good books for miles around.
Mr Bannerjee said: "Many people have thanked me personally for enabling their education to continue through our books, exactly as Emile Moreau and my ancestor intended.
"Whatever happens, we are determined to continue with that work."
Records show that Moreau borrowed the company's name from a highly successful London booksellers called Arthur Henry Wheeler's.
"Mr Moreau had so many books in his house that his wife demanded he get rid of them," Mr Bannerjee said. "It was thought that the books might be useful to the railway public."
The company went from strength to strength and published Kipling in 1888.
A collection of his short stories, The Phantom Rickshaw and other Eerie Tales, documenting Anglo-Indian life, was included in A H Wheeler's Indian Railway Library series.
Mr Bannerjee said: "We are still waiting for details of this new policy from the ministry. Sadly, it seems as if there is a perception that this is a foreign company. I assure you it is not."
Regards, Ivan
Ping!
Another idiot Congress minister doing something economically foolish--just like Fernandes banning Coca-Cola years ago. I think you can only buy Coke in Agra. The rest of the country is Pepsi Lehar--liquid speed.
what rubbish
The railways minister is bloody ignorant. I hope the bookstore customers raise a ruckus.
Bigotry plain and simple.
PLain bigotry. There is a Hindu website that hates Muslims. I thought perhaps that the friend of my enemy is my friend. I read a little more...they hate Christians too...and Americans.
You are right on. I just took a tour of India a few months back. Was surprised to find coke only near the Taj Mahal. It was pepsi everywhere elese. Now at least I know why.
The last time I was there (ten years ago) you could only get Coke in Agra.
Oh my goodness gracious me, yet another example of government overstepping its boundaries...
*does Indian headwaggle, wanders off with bemused look*
Pepsi in India is fully owned by Pepsi international now.
There is a history to Coke's maddening relationship with India. Of course you have a point with a ten-year-old story but it does not negate the fact for nearly 20 years Coke was almost impossible to buy outside of Agra because of a ministers' decision.
Economic reform under the BJP obviously improved the situation (also kudos to Singh in the old Rao government). Which means that as soon as Congress(I) returns to government they pull these similiar stunts as with the bookseller.
Another reform was also to kick Lehar off as the Indian-owned figleaf for Pepsi. Sincere thanks for informing me of that and I stand happily corrected.
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