When subjects, not the Crown, define the Empire

Shastri Ramachandaran

BRITANNIA has long ceased to rule the waves. Today, there is no territorial empire over which the crown presides. The “scepter’d isle” is neither “great” as Britain nor “united” as Kingdom. It is reduced to England. It still has a queen though. And, if the empire lives anywhere, it is in the Queen’s Honours List: here figures the names of subjects — including scores of Indians — who are awarded honours that keep alive the term “empire”. 

The List, which is announced in the New Year and, again, during the Queen’s birthday in June, reminds the world that among those awarded — with knighthoods and damehoods, and with grandiose titles such as Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) — are those who were once subjects. These subjects no longer make up an empire that can strike back at the crown. Far from that, these vestigial elements of the empire that have found a place as subjects under the British sun yearn for the recognition which comes with any of these honours.

For the Indian in Britain — or in the Dominions such as Australia or New Zealand — a KBE, GBE, OBE or MBE is something to die for. They are crazy about it. Indians in London never fail to tell you if any of their family members is among the several lakhs to have been awarded one of the Queen’s Honours in the last 70 years; and, they will not let you go till you have seen all the photographs of the occasion in the albums as well as those framed and hung on the walls.

Those, thus, honoured are considered to be among the “great and the good” in the “Empire” and they belong to all sections: from businessmen and professionals, entrepreneurs and traders, scientists and scholars, technologists and teachers to doctors and social workers, besides those in government, the armed forces and police. There is almost no Indian in the UK, who does not deeply desire one of these honours. In fact, there are those who would go to any length — including lobbying and using money if that would work — to get awarded.

The Queen's Birthday Honours “are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries”. This month there were 1,197 honours, with over half going to women and about 10 per cent for work in education. The List includes 503 Members of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBEs); 222 Officers of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBEs); and 322 British Empire Medals (BEMs). A donor who gave a million pounds to the Conservative Party became a Sir — but nobody would say that the honour was bought.

What Indians would find flattering is that this year’s List includes 33 NRIs who were awarded CBEs (Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire); 11 OBEs; 14 MBEs; and, six BEMs.  There is no way of convincing any of them that there is no longer any such thing as a “British Empire” or its “Most Excellent Order” which merits a “Commander”. More than forms, these are myths; and, every society needs myths that transcend reality and which one may aspire to.

However, what may not be flattering to these Indians who crossed the dreaded Kaala Pani, toiled and turned, and made their way up into the coveted “Most Excellent Order of the British Empire” in 2018, is that the charmed circle is representative of all classes and the masses.