Derek O’Brien Receives ‘Pride of the Community’ Honour from All India Anglo-Indian Association

Pune, 24 October, 2025: The All India Anglo-Indian Association honoured Member of Parliament Derek O’Brien with the Pride of the Community award in recognition of his outstanding service, leadership, and advocacy for the Anglo-Indian and Christian communities. The ceremony, held in Pune, highlighted O’Brien’s pioneering role as the first and only Anglo-Indian elected to Parliament, his fearless voice in the Rajya Sabha, and his influence as a quizmaster, author, and public communicator.

Accepting the award, Derek O’Brien began by expressing his gratitude to the Association and the community. “Thank you so much for this great honour, for this award—the pride of the community,” he said, acknowledging the presence of his family, including his brother Barry O’Brien and wife, Dr. Tonuka Basu. “I am no Leslie Claudius, I am no Ruskin Bond,” he remarked modestly, “but I am truly zapped by this recognition.”

He described his pride in witnessing the blend of Indian and Anglo-Indian traditions at the event, saying, “When we walked in, there was a traditional Maharashtrian welcome, and I haven’t removed the tilak because we are Indian. The Anglo-Indian will stay because we light candles before the event. What a powerful symbol of who we are.”

Derek O’Brien referred to the 2019 removal of Anglo-Indian reservations in Parliament and state assemblies, calling it “a gift in disguise.” He explained, “It has galvanised us. It has energised us to move forward. There’s a sense of youthfulness and energy in this room—we have to look ahead.”

He spoke passionately about the contribution of Christian institutions to India, stating, “There are 54,000 schools in India run by Christians, and three out of four students in these schools are Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Parsi, Buddhist or Jain. That’s the great work we are doing—not just for our own, but for all.”

In a deeply personal moment, O’Brien made two commitments, to his late father, Neil O’Brien, and his mother, Joyce O’Brien. “My dad would have wanted me to do this,” he said, announcing, “For the next four years, I will visit every single branch of the All India Anglo-Indian Association at least once, if you organise it, I’ll be there.” Pausing with a smile, he added, “But don’t ever clap for a politician when he makes a promise, you may want to check it after four years.”

He concluded on a note of conviction and hope: “I want to assure each one of you here—we will fight the good fight. We are Anglo-Indian, we are Christian, and we are proudly Indian. Thank you.”

By Catholic Connect Reporter