‘Mission’ Nostalgia

Outgoing Australian high commissioner to India Harinder Sidhu had some important visitors at her official residence in Delhi recently. And they weren’t from the diplomatic community but sons of noted American architect Joseph Allen Stein who designed some outstanding structures in India, including the India International Centre (IIC), the Ford Foundation building next door to it, the Triveni Kala Sangam and the Australian envoy’s residence. Sidhu said the lawns of the residence were landscaped by Stein’s wife. The residence that seems one with Nature—it has a colony of peacocks living there—is over six decades old, yet its design has a contemporary feel with its large glass-paned doors overlooking the lawns. For Stein’s sons, David and Ethan, the visit was redolent with nostalgia. One of them fondly recalled floating paper boats in the pond at one end of the lawns.