20 NOVEMBER 1964, Page 15

REMEMBERING NEHRU From Earl Mountbatten of Burma SIR,—On this, the

seventy-fifth anniversary of his birth, I have felt, as the last Viceroy of India, that I should initiate action in this country to com- memorate the memory of the later Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru. I consulted Dr. Radhakrishnan, the President of India, during his recent visit to London; I have received the approval of both the former Government and the present one; and I acknowledge with gratitude the help I have received from a number of outstanding men in this country, who have had close connections with India, and who have been kindly acting as a com- mittee with me.

As a result of much thought and examination of several projects over the last few months, the com- mittee came to the conclusion that the best way to commemorate Nehnt's memory would be: (I) by the institution of an annual Nehru Memorial Lecture to be delivered in Cambridge, under the auspices of his old college, Trinity, by a dis- tinguished scholar, scientist or administrator on some aspects of Commonwealth or international rela- tions; (2) by the award of about six scholarships to be known as Nehru Scholarships to competent Indian students who wish to specialise in science, technology or humanities at a British university.

This will probably mean an annual expenditure of some £5,000. To make these lectures and scholar- ships perpetual, an endowment of about £100,000 will be necessary. It is to raise this sum that I am issuing this appeal, because I have found there is a widespread feeling that his memory should be commemorated. Educated as he was at Harrow and

Trinity College, Cambridge, he had an abiding love for this country. None of us who met him will ever forget the charm of his personality, the range of his mind.

It may not be widely realised how much the modern concept of the Commonwealth. With the Queen as Head of the Commonwealth. is owing to Nehru's initiative soon after the transfer of power.

All contributions, both large and small, will be most gratefully received and acknowledged if they arc sent to The Nehru Memorial Fund, 16 Coley Street, WC1.

MOUNTBATTEN OF BURMA, Al'