British historian on horse-back leads mission ''Sorry India''

Karnal, Jun 7 (UNI) Leading a cavalcade of horses reminiscent of the cavalry of Raj Days, British historian Oliver Briyans is on mission, ''Sorry India'' to seek pardon for the atrocities committed by his forefathers on Indian soil.

A resident of Hampshire in England, Briyans told UNI that he took five horses from Jaipur-based Indigenous Horse Society of India and set out on the mission from Shimla on June 1 that would culminate in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut city, the centre of 1857 mutiny covering about 50 km each day.

Folding hands in Indian tradition, Briyans says ''sorry'' to the habitants of the villages and towns that fall on his path as general secretary of the horse society, Raghvender Singh, who is also accompanying the cavalcade, explains in Hindi that he was seeking forgiveness for the Colonial regime's misdeeds.

Briyans said he planned to visit monuments in Delhi and some other places related with freedom struggle, to pay homage to the martyrs of both the countries.

The historian said he was also planning to write about the blunders committed by the English during the 1857 revolt and its resultant effects on the lives of the Indians and British soldiers, who lost lives or limbs.

The youth in England had little knowledge about the mutiny, he lamented.

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