Anurag Kumar
King Charles III has awarded an honorary MBE to a renowned UK-based Sanskrit scholar and Executive Director of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan institution in London for services to Indian classical arts in Britain.
Dr. M.N. Nandakumara, a native of the Karnataka village of Mattur, has been associated with the Bhavan for 46 years and has welcomed Charles to the popular Indian cultural center on multiple occasions.
The award, which was approved by the British monarch for foreign nationals for their contribution to public life, was confirmed earlier this month by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) and will be formally presented at a later date. MBE was awarded “for services to the teaching, performance, and accessibility of Indian classical arts in the United Kingdom.”
Dr. Nandakumara stated, “I feel truly honored and humbled; I am happiest because this award is in recognition of the Bhavan’s work and service in the field of Indian arts and culture, and it comes as we celebrate our 50th anniversary this year.”
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“The King has visited the Bhavan four times and has always shown a great deal of interest in the courses we teach. On one occasion, the then-Prince of Wales sat on the carpet with our tabla player and attempted to play the instrument, he revealed.
The first time Charles visited the Bhavan was when its main auditorium was named after his cherished uncle, the last Viceroy of India, Lord Mountbatten.
The center, registered with the Charity Commission in England as the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, offers a variety of classes, including Yoga, Indian languages, dance, and music. Prior to the COVID pandemic, the school had 900 students enrolled in its courses. While that number has decreased somewhat due to a switch to online classes, the school’s leader is optimistic that enrollment will increase in the coming months due to a growing interest among youth in learning about Indian arts and culture.
“Our center is open to everyone, not just Indians or members of the Indian diaspora, because we adhere to Gandhian principles. In fact, our Yoga class is comprised of 95% European students, and all other classes have a similarly diverse student body,” said Dr. Nandakumara, also known as Nandaji to his students.
His relationship with the Bhavan dates back to the 1970s, when he joined as a Sanskrit teacher while completing his PhD at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London. Since 1995, he has served as its Executive Director.
