Why do Indian government offices keep white towels on chairs?

According to Gurdeep Singh Sappal, who worked in the office of former VP Hamid Ansari, the practice of keeping a towel on a chair in Indian government offices has colonial-era roots. He said the towels were used for hygiene purposes to wipe off sweat as diplomats toured on horses then. "The British left...horses were sent away...but towels stayed," he said.