A Long Dream of Home Book Launch

Good evening everyone!
I, Leher Sethi, am pleased to welcome all of you today to this function to release Siddhartha Gigoo & Varad Sharma’s book entitled “A Long Dream Home”. I thank you for consenting to our request and making time to attend this ceremony. I would especially like to thank Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Lt. Gen. Hasnain, Ms. Barkha Dutt, all of whom readily agreed to be part of today’s function and to release the book.
I would further like to formally welcome the (Ambassador of CYPRUS – : HE Demetrios A. Theophylactou), (Ambassador of Egypt) – HE Hatem Tageldin, (Ambassador of Maldives) – Ahmed Mohamed, (Ambassador of Algeria) – HE Hamza Yahia-Cherif, all dignitaries and distinguished guests.

This evening would not have been possible without the valuable support and patronage of our sponsors, Inatur Herbals. There is not much that we can say or do to express our gratitude to Mr Goldy Nagdev, CMD of Inatur Herbals for having supported our cause. I would also like to thank our ever helping, cooperative and affectionate hosts, the ITC Maurya who have been kind enough to accommodate our every whim and fancy.

As the founder of Literature Corner, a movement that aims to celebrate literature, I am honoured to have been given the opportunity to associate with a book of such importance. The persecution and ouster of Pandits from Kashmir in 1990 remains one of the darkest chapters in the history of modern India, and it is only appropriate to be launching this book that features haunting memoirs and stories that are the voices of the Pandits forced to live in exile in their own country on the eve of that fateful day! We shall speak more about the book in a while, but first let me invite on stage, Mrs Ratan Kaul, my co-host to welcome our chief guests today.
5:20PM – Felicitation of VIP’s on dais with flowers / mementos by Mrs Ratan Kaul

I would like to welcome Dr. Farooq Abdullah, prominent politician and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. Thank you for joining us today, sir!

I would like to welcome Dr. Shashi Tharoor, writer, former diplomat, former cabinet minister, Member of Parliament and official spokesperson for the Indian National Congress.

I would like to welcome Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain, a retired Three-Star General of the Indian Army. His last assignment in service was as the Military Secretary of the Indian Army. He has commanded an Army Corps in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, amongst other appointments.

I would like to welcome Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain, a retired Three-Star General of the Indian Army. His last assignment in service was as the Military Secretary of the Indian Army. He has commanded an Army Corps in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, amongst other appointments.

I would like to welcome Ms Barkha Dutt, television journalist, columnist, consulting editor with NDTV.