No Amby-valance
It's undoubtable that symbolism matters everywhere.
By ET Bureau |
The mere thought of the chubby Ambassador trundling into the sunset — triggered by Hindustan Motors’ announcement that it was going to report to the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR) as its net worth eroded by 50% — is akin to Amitabh Bachchan calling it a day due to his advanced years.
The head may say yes, but the heart would say no! Suzuki, Honda, and Shahrukh Khan for that matter, may have gigantic fan bases today because they are younger stars, but we Indians love our ageing heroes, whether they are the Big B or the Amby.
Never mind that successive Indian prime ministers have officially dumped the homely model in favour of big, beaming German marques , the bowler-hat-shaped desi sedan is still the most easily recognisable symbol of sarkari power, especially when capped with a revolving red cherry light. Its only companion on the Indian roads for decades, the slim Italian emigre called Fiat 1200 GranLuce Berlina that became the Indianised Premier Padmini, bowed out in 2000, but the hardy Amby survived.
No wonder more people than just the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi have an affinity for the Ambassador that arrived on these shores as the very Brit Morris Oxford III but stayed on to become a naturalised Indian. Given its fame, legendary capaciousness and time-tested ability to handle Indian conditions, it is not surprising that the Amby will be the official convoy-envoy for athletes during this October’s Commonwealth Games.
Talking of symbolism, both Gordon Brown and David Cameron sent out a message as they said tata and hello respectively, at 10 Downing Street. It may have escaped the notice of most Britons, though, including them. Both travelled to and from Buckingham Palace in chauffeur-driven Jaguar X-series cars. Time was when Indian PMs rode in British cars; now it’s the other way round! What better raison d’etre can there be for the Amby?
The head may say yes, but the heart would say no! Suzuki, Honda, and Shahrukh Khan for that matter, may have gigantic fan bases today because they are younger stars, but we Indians love our ageing heroes, whether they are the Big B or the Amby.
Never mind that successive Indian prime ministers have officially dumped the homely model in favour of big, beaming German marques , the bowler-hat-shaped desi sedan is still the most easily recognisable symbol of sarkari power, especially when capped with a revolving red cherry light. Its only companion on the Indian roads for decades, the slim Italian emigre called Fiat 1200 GranLuce Berlina that became the Indianised Premier Padmini, bowed out in 2000, but the hardy Amby survived.
No wonder more people than just the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi have an affinity for the Ambassador that arrived on these shores as the very Brit Morris Oxford III but stayed on to become a naturalised Indian. Given its fame, legendary capaciousness and time-tested ability to handle Indian conditions, it is not surprising that the Amby will be the official convoy-envoy for athletes during this October’s Commonwealth Games.
Talking of symbolism, both Gordon Brown and David Cameron sent out a message as they said tata and hello respectively, at 10 Downing Street. It may have escaped the notice of most Britons, though, including them. Both travelled to and from Buckingham Palace in chauffeur-driven Jaguar X-series cars. Time was when Indian PMs rode in British cars; now it’s the other way round! What better raison d’etre can there be for the Amby?
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