Ludhiana businessman presents miniature bust of Maharaja Ranjit Singh to French ambassador

Tribune Web Desk
Chandigarh, July 14

A Ludhiana-based businessman on Sunday met French Ambassador Alexander Ziegler and presented him a unique miniature bust of Maharaja Ranjit Singh during the Bastille Day celebrations at the French embassy in Delhi.

Harjinder Singh Kukreja recalled the Punjab-French connection during the times of the Sikh emperor Maharaja Ranjit Singh who had a French general as his army chief. 

Ziegler was visibly delighted to receive the bust and showed keen interest.

“I am particularly enamoured by the story of General Allard who modernised the Sikh army of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. I thought there could be no better tribute to the maharaja and his general than a miniature bust of the maharaja to the French on their national day,” he said.

Significantly, on Bastille Day in 2016, the bust of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was first revealed to the public before being installed in France.

This year’s French National Day marks three years of that occasion.

“The installation of maharaja’s bust was a milestone in Franco-Punjab relations and I feel proud that I was present in St. Tropez when the bust was made public,” said Kukreja.