Rahul Gandhi, the first ‘Sir Edmund Hillary Fellow’

Governor General Sir Anand Satyanand with Rahul Gandhi in Lower Hutt on February 15, 2010

New Zealand honoured Rahul Gandhi, General Secretary of the ruling Congress Party, a Member of Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament) and a rising star in Indian politics, with the first ‘Sir Edmund Hillary Fellowship’ last fortnight.

The only son of former Prime Minister the late Rajiv Gandhi and current President of the Congress Party Sonia Gandhi, he is widely tipped to be the next Prime Minister of the world’s largest democracy should the Party repeat or improve its performance in the general election due next in 2014.

Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand announced the launch of the ‘Sir Edmund Hillary Fellowships’ during his official visit (the first by a New Zealand Governor-General) to India in September 2008 (Indian Newslink, September 15, 2008).

Sir Ed honoured

The award recognises the special contribution made by Sir Edmund to Indo-Kiwi relations and allows people from India and Nepal, who are emerging leaders in academia, business, politics, law and culture, to travel to New Zealand for short periods.

At a luncheon reception held at the Government House Vogel in Lower Hutt on February 15, Sir Anand described Sir Edmund as a ‘towering figure’ in New Zealand, India and Nepal, whose achievements led the Indian Government to honour him (posthumously) with the Padma Vibhushan Award in 2008.

He also recounted former Indian Express Chief Editor Dr Sanjaya Baru’s description of New Zealand and India as ‘Bookends of Asia’.

“In the 18 months since my visit to India, those bookends have begun to move closer and the relationship has significantly evolved. I am advised that two-way trade reached $NZ 1 billion for the first time in the year-ended August 2009.  Tourism and educational links are growing and new science and military links have been established,” he said.

Prime Minister John Key said Rahul Gandhi’s visit had enabled the two countries to take another step forward in their friendly ties.

Brightening prospects

Sir Anand said that the proposed opening of a Consulate General in Mumbai, high level ministerial visits and the prospects for new avenues for investment augured well with the need to exploit the existing and emerging potential for more constructive bilateral engagement between New Zealand and India. 

“The New Zealand Government sees the development of its relationship with India as a priority. India’s leading position in Asia and internationally and its economic significance makes it strategically important to New Zealand. Both governments have recently announced the start of negotiations for a free trade agreement, that will offer significant future business opportunities for both nations,” he said.

Sir Anand said people-to-people links made bilateral and commercial relationships more meaningful.

 “But such links are not one-way.”

Sir Anand said India had firmly established itself as one of Asia’s two major regional powers. 

“India and China are the key drivers in the continent’s rapidly changing geo-political, economic and trade landscape.  Understanding these developments is not only vital to New Zealand’s interests and future prosperity but also a change that we wish to embrace,” he said.

Among those present at the luncheon were Indian High Commissioner Retired Admiral Sureesh Mehta, Maria Teresa Mehta, Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Secretary John Allen, Rajiv Gandhi Foundation Chief Executive Sampath Kumar and Waitakere City Council Chief Executive Vijaya Vaidyanath.