Gurkha campaigner Joanna felicitated in Nepal

India-born British TV star Joanna Lumley got a grand felicitation from Gurkha veterans and warm words of gratitude from the Nepalese leadership today for championing the rights of the bravehearts of the UK Army.

Kathmandu: India-born British TV star Joanna
Lumley got a grand felicitation from Gurkha veterans and warm
words of gratitude from the Nepalese leadership today for
championing the rights of the bravehearts of the UK Army.

The 63-year-old star of television comedy "Absolutely
Fabulous" touched the hearts of everyone in this mountainous
republic -- from top leaders to commoners who adopted her as a
`daughter of Nepal`.

Lumley met Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal at his
Office at Singhdurbar this morning. He expressed gratitude to
her for fighting for the cause of the Gurkhas.

She was later also received by President Ram Baran Yadav,
who said, "you have championed the cause of the Gurkhas. I
will like to extend my heartfelt thanks to you."

Lumley, who played a key role in the movement of Gurkha
soldiers for the right to settle in England, was cheered by
hundreds of war veterans and their families as she delivered
an emotional address to them in Kathmandu`s city hall.

Chairman of the Constituent Assembly Subhash Nemwang
honoured her on behalf of the Gurkha Army Ex-Servicemen`s
Organisation (GAESO) which held the civic reception.

"I would not have born if my father was not saved by
Victoria Cross recipient Gorkha veteran Tul Bahadur Gurung,"
Lumley said. Gurung saved the life of her father during
the World War II in Burma.

"I will continue the struggle for equal rights of the
Gurkha soldiers in Britain," Lumley said. She said Nepal is
her "maternal home" and she will visit the country from time
to time.

"It makes me proud to be accepted as a daughter of
Nepal," she said as she gave the famous Gurkha war cry "Ayo
Gurkhali! (The Gurkhas are coming)", which was echoed by the
crowd.

Born in Kashmir on May 1, 1946, as the daughter of a
Major in the Gurkha Rifles in British India, Lumley has been
playing an important role since 2007 in the Gurkhas` sustained
movement for equal rights in the British Army.

Britain announced in May that all Gurkha veterans who had
served at least four years in the army could apply for
residency there. Previously, only those who retired after 1997
had been eligible to apply.

The Gurkha regiment was equally divided between Indian
and British Armies post-independents and before that for
almost 200 years more than 45,000 Gurkhas have died in British
battle fatigues. More than 3,000 Gurkhas are part of British
contingent in Afghanistan.

Lumley, who is on a six-day visit to Nepal, also met
Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala who is hosting a dinner in her
honour tonight.

On her arrival yesterday, the TV star received a rousing
reception from hundreds of Gurkhas carrying banners which read
`Welcome Joanna, the daughter of Nepal` and `Gurkha heroes
welcome our British heroine`.

Bureau Report

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