Ex Indian envoy defends frugal meal served by UK Army chief

LONDON: Describing General Richard Dannatt as a "gracious host," former Indian envoy to UK said the meal served to Indian Army chief General
Deepak Kapoor by his British counterpart last year, was "wonderful" after a tabloid reported that the guests were offered a "fiver-a-head cut-price meal".

The then Indian High Commissioner Shiv Mukherjee said the food was "wonderful" and General Dannatt was a "gracious host," defending the frugal meal served to the Army Chief and 21 others at a reception hosted in August last year.

"It was an excellent party and Dannatt was a wonderful host," Mukherjee told PTI, when asked to react to the media report.

"It was an elegant and very, very enjoyable party. It was a wonderful party. Mrs Dannatt and the chief of army staff were gracious hosts and they made us personally welcome. The food was wonderful," he said.

His remarks came following a report in The Daily Mail that said "rather than serving delicacies from the nearby upmarket Harrods superstore, they (Indian Army chief General Deepak Kapoor and 21 others) were served pastries, cheese and salmon bought from the supermarket Tesco".

The entire meal had cost a mere 123.58 pounds - or 5.15 pounds per person, the tabloid said, lauding the British army chief for his frugality.