Panday, Humphrey hosted at new Mahatma Gandhi cultural centre

The High Commission of India hosted former prime minister Basdeo Panday and former minister John Humphrey at the newly constructed Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Cultural Cooperation (MGICC) at Mt Hope Complex on Thursday.

The commission said in a media release that Panday, also former UNC political leader, was accompanied by his wife Oma and his daughter Mickela Panday, Humphrey, also former St Augustine MP, was accompanied by his wife Helen.

High Commissioner of India Arun Kumar Sahu welcomed the guests and gave them a tour of the new building.

He also presented a copy of his recently published book of poetry Iguana and Other Poems to Panday. The collection was written during the coronavirus lockdown.

Panday laid the foundation stone of the MGICC building in 1999 as prime minister, together with the then prime minister of India Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

He thanked the high commissioner for getting the cultural centre ready. He also shared his experience associated with the history of giving the land for the MGICC and expressed his desire to be among the first students of the cultural centre when it opens at the new building.

Humphrey spoke of his own experience of being involved with the history of the project.