Residence

The residence was leased at 2 Hastings Park Road, Alipore, from 1958 (if not before) until it moved in 1980 to South Lodge, 9 Netaji Subhash Chander Bose Marg in Tollygunge. It was formerly a ‘chummery’ (bachelors’ quarters) for a major tea company. This house was extensively refurbished in 1992, and given up in [?2010].

Offices

The deputy high commission offices were leased in 1 Ho Chi Minh Sarani from 1966 (if not before). This building, in spacious grounds, became ripe for redevelopment in the mid-1980s. Its owner was a deity, but ways were found to negotiate with his representatives on earth. They would build for the deputy high commission a new freehold three-storey block to include the offices, two flats, a small club and ancillary facilities on 1,600 square metres of the site in exchange for the FCO giving up all its acquired rights to the remainder of the site. The opening lines of the 1987 agreement read:

THIS AGREEMENT made this 7th day of APRIL One thousand nine hundred and eighty-seven BETWEEN SHREE SHREE ISWAR GOPAL JIU THAKUR, a Hindu Deity located at 4, Rustomji Parsi Road, P.S. Cossipore, within the Municipal limits of Calcutta represented by the Shebaits Jagadish Chandra Sinha, Atish Chandra Sinha, Adhish Chandra Slnha and Bikash Chandra Sinha, all of No. 4, Rusromji Parsi Road … (hereinafter called “the VENDORS” which expression shall include the Shebait or Shebaits for the time being of the said Deity and their and each of their respective heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives and assigns) of the ONE PART and THE SECRETARY OF STATE … of the OTHER PART: WHEREAS: (1) The Deity is the absolute owner and is seized and possessed of the …

This complicated estate manoeuvre was completed in 1992.

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