Press Releases 2008

U.S. Consulate General Commemorates
50 Years in Linclon House

U.S.-India Friendship Celebrated

January 23, 2008

Mumbai, January 23, 2008  – Michael S. Owen, U.S. Consul General, Mumbai and Atul Nishar, Regional President, Indo-American Chamber of Commerce hosted an evening reception on January 23 to celebrate 50 years of the U.S. Consulate General being in Lincoln House, the former Wankaner House. 

Celebrating friendship was the theme of the evening.  As U.S. Consul General Michael S. Owen noted in his remarks, “We are gathered to celebrate friendship between the people of India and the United States.  It is a friendship that has made a positive difference to millions of families in India, in the United States, and around the world. Little did we imagine the scale of growth when we moved into this historic building 50 years ago.”

“The Indo-American Chamber of Commerce has been successfully promoting and widening the scope of bilateral trade between the two countries. Along with encouraging economic growth, the Chamber has been instrumental in strengthening the ties between the two nations for the last 40 years,” said Atul Nishar, Regional President, Indo-American Chamber of Commerce.

The reception took place on the U.S. Consulate General lawn, a fitting location as it has been the site of many important and exciting events over the years, from Thanksgiving to receptions. The presence of Dr. Digvijay Sinh, Guest of Honor; Vidya Balan, a well-known Bollywood actress; Dr. Jairaj Phatak, Mumbai Municipal Commissioner; and Dr. Indu Shahani, the Sheriff of Mumbai honored the golden jubilee occasion. Minissha Lamba was the presenter for the evening.

With the move to a new and larger consulate building on the horizon, the time was ripe for the U.S. Consulate General to reflect upon its last 50 years in Lincoln House. Nostalgia and friendship both played a powerful role in the evening’s festivities.  A digital slideshow of images from years past, including photos from the days before Lincoln House became the Consulate, evoked fond memories of both people and events.  Also on display was a photo exhibition showcasing highlights of the last 60 years of Indo-U.S. relations.

India Jazz Suites, the ground-breaking collaboration between Emmy Award winning star Jason Samuels Smith and renowned Kathak maestro Pandit Chitresh Das, performed their unique blend of East and West dance in honor of the longstanding friendship between the U.S. and India. 

For the last 50 years, the U.S. Consulate General in Mumbai has been located in a building that was originally called Wankaner House, designed and built in 1938 by the Maharaja of Wankaner, grandfather of Dr. Digvijay Sinh, Guest of Honor at the celebration.  Wankaner House was renamed Lincoln House upon its transformation into the U.S. Consulate General.  Designated a heritage building, the U.S. Consulate General is dedicated to the maintenance and preservation of its historic integrity and status.