New Delhi, April 19 -- Tucked away near the stately St James' Church near Kashmere Gate, the last crumbling remains of an almost 200-year-old haveli - once the palatial home of a flamboyant Anglo-Indian soldier of fortune - are finally set to be restored. The building, once known as Skinner's Haveli and later as part of the Hindu College complex, has quietly deteriorated for decades. But after a year of appeals and planning, the Hindu College Old Students Association (OSA) has received municipal permission to bring it back to life.
The plan is ambitious: a full-scale restoration of the remaining structures, to serve as a memorial marking the 125th anniversary of the college's founding. The restored complex will house a cafe, public library...