The Ambassador,popularly called Amby had remained the real king of Indian roads for decades,navigating easily through potholes and gutters.

Finally with its the phasing out by the Hindustan Motors,India’s post- liberalised generation is finally cutting off the umbilical cord relation they had with the Nehru era.

For the yuppies of today, Ambassador is nothing more than a relic of a bygone era of inefficiency and state monopoly that had put obstacles in the path their fathers or uncles.But, for its ardent followers,who even now number in thousands Ambassador was the ultimate vehicle,a family car that took them safely to distant locations on a long vacation, a vehicle that loyally accompanied them from birth to death.

It was the inevitable part of the convoy of heads of state and foreign dignitaries. For the babu's and for the all-seasoned politicians, an Ambassador with the flag fitted on its bonnet had carried them into the corridors of power, a journey from oblivion to absolute power.Built sturdy, its interiors were spacious enough to accommodate an entire family.

No doubt,Top Gear magazine once called it the best taxi in the world. A single mechanic with minimum tools could repair it, parts were available even in the country side, its size was large enough to scare animals that swarm the Indian roads.

Thus, though modelled on the Morris Oxford, Ambassador, lived its Indian life in style,hunching back and forth through busy roads.
It criss-crossed our roads like a Raja, with its often occasional halts that earned it a permanent place in our imagination.

Now, dear Ambassador… it’s time to bid farewell.