Amish Tripathi, Author, has Stepped Down as Director of London's Nehru Centre

Amish Tripathi steps down as Director of Nehru Centre after a successful tenure promoting Indian culture in the UK.

on Nov 06, 2023

Amish Tripathi, Author, has Stepped Down as Director of London's Nehru Centre | Frontlist

As one of the Nehru Centre's longest-serving directors, Tripathi followed in the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi's grandson, Gopalkrishna Gandhi, and writer-filmmaker Girish Karnad.

After a busy four-year term arranging hundreds of India-focused cultural events in the UK capital, best-selling novelist Amish Tripathi has stepped down as Director of the Nehru Centre and Minister for Culture and Education at the High Commission of India in London.

During the Covid lockdown, the 49-year-old diplomat coordinated the Nehru Centre's transfer to various remote events, broadening the reach of the Indian mission's cultural wing to a wider UK and international audience.

Tripathi expects London to remain a second home for him as one of the world's most "extraordinary" cities, as well as his wife Shivani's link as a British citizen, as he returns to his home city of Mumbai at the end of his tenure this week.
"The Nehru Centre is a massive asset that has a tremendous legacy, and I am very proud that I got the opportunity to add my own small contribution to this great institution," Tripathi stated in a press release.

"I believe it is an exciting time to be in the cultural space in India, and the Nehru Centre can play an important role." India is becoming more influential in every area, as seen by our performance in sports, economics, education, and so on.

In the UK, we have an Indian-origin Prime Minister (Rishi Sunak), and in the US, we have an Indian-origin and highly viable Republican presidential challenger (Vivek Ramaswamy). "I believe that as a result of all of this, India's cultural influence will grow," he said.
As one of the Nehru Centre's longest-serving directors, Tripathi followed in the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi's grandson, Gopalkrishna Gandhi, and writer-filmmaker Girish Karnad.

He remarked on some of the improvements that have occurred during his tenure and are now permanent. "Because the pandemic was so disastrous for everyone, we decided to move everything online." Actually, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise for us because it greatly broadened our reach...

Now, we're sticking with a hybrid model that combines real and online events, and I believe it's here to stay," he says.
From hosting the Murthy family, including husband Narayana Murthy and daughter Akshata Murthy, for author Sudha Murty's book launch to conversations with former England cricket captain Kevin Pietersen and classical Indian dance, music, theatrical performances, and exhibitions, the Nehru Centre hosts an estimated 250 events per year. It also serves as a hub for Indian students, with an internship plan that allows them to participate in its operations.

"We have a lot of student programmes out here, and the Nehru Centre is a home away from home for Indian students," Tripathi added.

As he prepares to return to India, the land he "loves to the depths of my soul," his documentary, Return of a Splendid Sun, is nearing completion. It depicts the story of the construction of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya and will be released in time for the Ram Mandir's inauguration in January 2024. In addition, he has a number of additional book and film projects in the works that he is excited to get started on.

"As a genuinely multicultural city, London was certainly a good place for a creative person." "However, I'm eager to get back to my creative work in India," he continued.