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A Spanish rendezvous

DNPUN20534 | 11/10/2009 | Author : Preeti Devnani | WC :434

Pune’s Spaniards all set to meet the Prince in Mumbai
When the following Puneites received their surprise invitations, they didn’t do a reality check but instead a royalty check.
For the Spaniards living in Pune, an invitation to meet and greet the Crown Prince of Spain was something they had never expected to ever happen.
A week ago, the Spanish Consulate in Mumbai rang the registered Spaniards to attend a special ball that is being hosted for their country’s Crown Prince Felipe and wife Princess Letizia at the Taj Mahal Hotel and Palace on November 10.
Married to an Indian, whom she met in London, Irene Galan is all excited about this ball too. Born and brought up in Toledo, Spain, Irene says, “My husband had to move to Pune due to work and so we shifted here a year ago. For me, going to the event is a big thing as I not only will be able to meet the Prince, but also other Spanish citizens living here. I still haven’t got fully adjusted to the culture here, and probably meeting other Spaniards will help me to know their experience of staying here.”
Irene will be accompanied by her husband Kaustub Gokhale, a telecom engineer with Persistent Systems. Kaustub is waiting to tell the Prince, “I’m glad you’ve come to my beautiful country!”
Others who have received the invite include Pepi Torres, who was born in Madrid and spent the first 30 years of her life there. She has now pretty much sunk into the Pune lifestyle. “I moved with my husband in 1997 here, and have fallen in love with the city’s weather and people who are so open and warm along with the lifestyle which is very convenient here as everything is easily available. We have a lot of help here with the maids, something which is not common back home,” says Pepi.
She had seen Prince Felipe’s father Juan Carlos on TV when he was being sworn in as the King. “For me, it was a moment of history and now I can’t believe I will actually be a part of that history when I meet Prince Felipe, which is a matter of such great honour.”
Pepi will participate in the majestic moment with her sons Raul and Navin, both of whom are Spanish citizens along with husband Anil Devnani. Anil, who lived in Madrid from 1983 to 1997, feels that even though millions of people live in Spain, not everyone gets a chance to interact with the blue blood family. “And yet living so far, we are getting this opportunity, it’s unbelievable,” says Anil, director of Innofitt systems Pvt Ltd.

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