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London, May 22: The multi-billionaire Hinduja Group has received a green signal for setting up a World Knowledge Centre in Mumbai that envisages development of an integrated healthcare and education institution aimed at making India the preferred destination in the field.
"We have been successful in getting 10 acres of land for setting up the World Knowledge Centre," G P Hinduja said at a dinner hosted last night in honour of the Sheriff of Mumbai Indu Shahani at the Institute of Directors here.
Hinduja said the proposed World Knowledge Centre would draw on the excellence that India with the UK, US and other countries have to offer in "healthcare and scientific research and development."
"India's rapid economic growth, thanks to the present Government's reforms, has led to greatly increased commercial and economic exchanges between the two countries. These need to be matched by a similar growth of exchanges in the educational, scientific and cultural areas. We have been working actively to promote this much needed development," Hinduja said.
Giving details of the project, Sir Michael Burton, President of the Hinduja Foundation, said "The World Knowledge Centre, a brain-child of S P Hinduja, Chairman of the Group, involves 10 acres of site in Mumbai and development of a world class integrated health centre and top class hospital, with facilities for people to come and acquire better education and training.
"The ambitious project is designed to make India a preferred destination for healthcare and education," Burton said.
Shahani, who is also Principal of the H R College of Commerce & Economics, Churchgate in Mumbai, along with Dr Vijay Khole, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mumbai is heading a delegation of Principals of different colleges in Mumbai.
Cherie Blair, wife of former British Prime Minister, who was the chief guest, described herself as a "huge fan of India."
She said "I am a great believer in the power of women to transform the world and that could be done only through education."
Blair said she had made a particular reference to this in her recently published autobiography in which she highlighted how education helped her to get opportunities in life which were denied to her mother and grandmother.
She also fondly recalled the Diwali celebration hosted by the Hindujas at the Alexandra Palace nine years ago when she wore a sari for the first time.
Noting that there is a deep-standing understanding between India and the UK, she said "what we have is really a mature relation.
It is not just British Universities going and helping India but sharing each others achievement."
Blair also released a book brought out by Dr Khole on the completion of 150th year of the Mumbai University.
Also present on the occasion were several leading educationists and Vice Chancellors of the British Universities, Monika Kapila Mohta, Director, Nehru Centre and Asif Ibrahim, Minister, Coordination in the Indian High Commission.
Shahani, the 110th Sheriff of Mumbai but the first woman to hold the post said she would not like to be just a ceremonial Sheriff but a "people's Sheriff", trying to meet the aspirations of her people.