Kolkata businessman donates money to restore Ram Mohan's chattri

London, June 12 (UNI) A Kolkata-based businessman donated 100,000 dollar for the restoration of Raja Ram Mohan Roy's ''chattri'' in Bristol.

Mr Aditya Poddar and his wife Monica especially flew to London from Kolkata to donate the money for the ''restoration, repair and maintenance'' of the Raja Ram Mohan Roy ''chattri'' at Arnos Vale cemetery in Bristol.

He handed over the cheque to Mr Ashok Mukherjee, the acting Indian High Commissioner, at an emotion-filled function in India House in the presence of representatives of the English Heritage, Attorney General Milon Bannerji and Commissioner, Calcutta Municipal Corporation.

Mr Poddar said, ''It is important that the tomb of such an eminent Indian must not be allowed to decay.'' A small donation was also made by Ms Rita Bhimani, general secretary Brahma Samaj who too had flown from Kolkata with her sports-writer husband Kishore Bhimani.

The funds were handed over today to the trustees of Arnos Vale cemetery at a sombre function in Bristol. A trustee also gave a personal donation of 5000 pound.

Mr Rajat Bagchi, Minister Coordination in the Indian High Commission who is overseeing the project said, ''A good beginning has been made. Over 50,000 pound have been collected. We hope more donations will trickle in.'' Considered the ''Father of Modern India'' Roy visited England in 1831 as the ambassador of the Mughal emperor Akbar Shah. In 1833 he went to Bristol to stay at a Beech House in Stapleton Grove. Ten days after arriving in Bristol, he fell ill with meningitis, and died on September 27, 1833.

He was initially buried in the grounds of Beech House, but ten years later his friend Dwarakanath Tagore had him re-interred at Arno's Vale. He sponsored a ''chattri'' to be designed by William Prinsep and built at the cemetery.

In 1997, a statue of Raja Ram Mohan Roy was built at Bristol.

The ''chattri'' is to be restored fully and the fund will be used to maintain it.

UNI