The grand hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan was filled with an sense of anticipation.
Indian and Ceylonese flags fluttered gently behind the long table at the front, where Prime Ministers Rohan and Dudley Senanayake sat, ready to make history.
On the table before them lay the Rohan–Senanayake Pact, the agreement that months of negotiations had produced.
It was a moment that would change the future of thousands of Indian Tamils who had lived in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) for generations, and both leaders knew the weight of what they were about to sign.
Rohan reached for the pen in front of him, his fingers brushing against the cool metal.
He paused for a brief moment, locking eyes with Prime Minister Senanayake, who gave a quiet nod.
This was it, the end result of endless discussions, compromises.
As cameras flashed and the gathered diplomats and officials looked on in silence, Rohan leaned forward and signed his name.
