“These include Indians who live in London, Indians who live in India but own apartments in some of London’s poshest areas, and of course, Indians who visit London. In the late ’60s when she came to London from Cambridge, the Indian presence in London was almost negligible. “Mayfair, Park Lane, St Johns Wood are where Indians like to live when they’re in London,” says Chhitra Gidwani, an exporter of high-end garments to England. “For some reason, every leading Indian can be found here, stocking up on his or her lingerie requirements for the coming year,” says a long-time observer. “You must remember that thanks to the stringent foreign exchange regulations of the Indian government, we were all so very strapped for cash,” she says.

Source: Hindustan Times July 23, 2016 15:11 UTC