Tale of two princes

NEW DELHI: First the father and then the son. How many people can boast of meeting two generations of the royal family? Prem Nath, a 50-year-old policeman and a wrestler of international repute can.
A three decade old photograph of Duke of Edinburgh decorating him with a gold medal at the Munich Commonwealth Games, has got Prem Nath a royal promise from Prince Charles.‘‘I will tell my father I met you, ‘’ said the prince. An assistant commissioner with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) police, Prem Nath met Prince Charles and floored him with the old photograph.
‘‘He was impressed with the way I had kept the photograph,’’ said a proud Prem Nath, an Arjuna Award winner of 1972. Nath had beaten a British national in the finals of the wrestling championship at the Commonwealth Games and had won an offer from the Duke himself for coaching the young wrestlers in Britain. He had declined the royal offer but had given a one rupee coin as a memento.
This time Nath could not give a memento to the Royal. ‘‘No I did not give him anything. DMRC gave a memento to him to remember the Metro ride. All I wanted him to do was to visit my akhaara where I am training youngsters. One of my students is representing India in the international competitions.
But it may not possible for the such a busy man as the prince,’’ he said. ‘‘I was just 18 when Prince Philip had watched the entire wrestling game and had decorated me with the gold medal,’’ said the overwhelmed wrestler. ‘‘Prince Charles asked me how old I was then. I told him I was studying in college when I met his father.’’