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The Viscount of Tamil Nadu lives in this splendid palace in the centre of the Indian city of Namakkal. Despite appearances, Kumar Palace was actually built in 1976 with concrete made from reclaimed fish bones. The Viscount is a noted environmental activist and even operates his own haulage company using solar powered vehicles. As well as the seat of the regional government of Tamil Nadu, Kumar Palace is home to Ecoland, the environmental theme park that Viscount Kumar built for his wife, Priya. The Viscount’s wife is the daughter of the Maharaja of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. On the day they married, the Maharaja bestowed the title of Hansane Wali Baat on the Viscount which is the highest honour in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, once reserved for great warriors. Although the title of Viscount of Tamil Nadu no longer confers any official privileges on the holder, the Viscount remains the Queen’s representitive in the state of Tamil Nadu and is required to pay 100 Vindaloo’s per year in homage to the monarch. This requirement was deferred during the reign of King George VI who, having eaten 3 Vindaloo’s in one day, suffered from an irritable bowel disorder for 6 days and vowed never to eat curry again. The Viscount has a number of business interests in Europe and America, including the trendy Indian restaurant, Sufed Admi Curry House on Park Lane in London and Big Al’s Halal Hypermarket in Los Angeles. Viscount Kumar added the Lordship of Tamworth to his list of titles in 1998 and in 2001 received a Knighthood for his work in the field of Environmentalism. Because of Viscount Kumar’s unusual collection of titles, when in Britain he is officially addressed as Lieutenant Marshall Sir Bala Kumar, Lord of Tamworth, Viscount of Tamil Nadu, Left Ventricle of Nicobar and has the longest official title among the current peerage.
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