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The Indian Ambassador’s residence, a 103-year-old heritage monument was opened to the public on September 9, 2017 (Monuments Day). Villa Meyland or India House in Wassenaar, Netherlands has been the official residence of Ambassadors of India since 1953. Constructed in 1914, it has been designated a State Monument and is included in the Dutch register of Monuments
and Cultural Heritage since 2002. India House is located at – Backershagenlaan 19, 2243 AB, Wassenaar. Prior to the construction of the Villa, the Meyland grounds belonged to the vast
country estate of Backershagen and was sold by the heirs of Princess Marie von Weid, the daughter of Prince Frederick of the Netherlands and wife of William, the fifth Prince of Weid (Germany) to members of the company Weise & Co. in Rotterdam. During the Second World War, Villa Meyland was confiscated by Reichskomissar Dr. Arthur Seyss-Inquart, but he never lived there. The architecture of the Villa is inspired by the English country-house style. An arched bridge over the Zijlwatering, a gatekeeper’s house, chauffeur’s house, a tennis court, a miniature house meant to be used as a kennel and a geometrically streamlined garden that is structured in three levels form a part of this beautiful 7.2 acres estate. Villa Meyland has been home to 23 Indian Ambassadors during their respective tenures in the Netherlands. H.E Mr Venu Rajamony is the 25th Ambassador to the Netherlands and assumed his office in June 2017.