British MP Barry Gardiner, late theatre director Peter Brook receive Padma Shri in UK

London: British member of Parliament Barry Gardiner and late British theatre director Peter Brook were formally conferred their Padma Shri awards at a special ceremony at India House in London.

Gardiner, an Opposition Labour Party MP for Brent North in London, was conferred one of India’s prestigious civilian honours in 2020 for his contributions to the field of public affairs but could not receive his award from the President due to the COVID lockdown. Theatre director Peter Brook, best known in India for his epic adaptation of ‘The Mahabharata’, was conferred his award for contributions to the field of art in 2021. His son, Simon Brook, collected the award on behalf of his father, who died last year aged 97.

“We felicitate two very distinguished friends of India; honouring them for their friendship and the long years of service to the friendship between our peoples and to fostering greater understanding,” said Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami, addressing the gathering at the High Commission of India in London on Friday evening.

“Unfortunately, the awards of 2020 and 2021 were during the COVID pandemic. So, unfortunately, a large number of dignitaries could not actually travel to be suitably honoured, as it should have been by the President of India in the presidential palace in Delhi. That, however, gives us the opportunity to offer this simple ceremony,” he said.

Gardiner, 66, who founded and was the chair of the Labour Friends of India (LFIN) group for many years, spoke of his great affinity for India as he accepted his Padma Shri.

“India is the most extraordinary democracy in a part of the world where democracies are sadly all too uncommon. Not only now the largest population of any country, overtaking China, but a democracy that is vibrant,” he said.

Pitching for closer India-UK relations under a future Labour Party-led government, the former shadow cabinet minister expressed hopes for a transformation in the security relationship shared between the two countries.

“India has to be a guarantor of global security in that part of the world. It’s a long time now since I said that India should be on the permanent Security Council, that is something that should happen. India as a security partner is vital for the UK,” he said.

“I think it’s the most important relationship that we can develop. I have thought that for more than 25 years; and I’m humbled by this award,” he added.

Director Simon Brook, who travelled from Paris to receive the Padma Shri conferred on Peter Brook, spoke of the great love his father had for India.

“He was a very close friend of India, very much inspired by India, and I think India changed his life,” he said.

Simon Brook, the director behind films such as ‘Indian Summer’, went on to share insights on how his legendary theatre director father came upon the ‘Mahabharata’ while learning Sanskrit.

“I was fortunate enough as a teenager to go with him during those first trips to India many moons ago, to go and see the local productions, meet people and travel around… it was a transformative experience, and it has made me very close to India myself,” he shared.

“My father always felt that most things last too long, plays last too long, people’s speeches last too long. And, this did not prevent him from putting on a nine-hour production,” he added, with reference to Peter Brook’s famous ‘Le Mahabharat’ play that toured the world in the 1980s.