I was invited to visit Hyderabad in India for the opening of the lavish Taj Faluknama Palace – a former palace of the Nizam.

It was my first time back in this extraordinary place since I was 8 years old. I have clear memories of being stranded in the city when Indian Airlines decided to delay the plane by a couple of days, and then having to make an unholy dash for the airport (little more than a field in those days) when my family received notice the flight was about to take off. They held the plane up until we got there.

The airport has changed somewhat – being the brightest, newest and most shiny airport in India. The story of my second visit to Hyderabad is here:

http://www.sankhaguha.com/hyderabad-empire-state-re-building/