“This day always brings the community together in a special way."
Hundreds of people came together in Harrow, Greater London, to celebrate Indian Independence Day on August 15, 2024.
The array of activities included a gathering at Byron Hall, where the occasion was marked with a visit from Councillor Salim Chowdhury, the Mayor of Harrow.
But one of the highlights was bikers riding through the town centre, each displaying miniature Indian flags on their motorcycles.
One resident said: “It’s nice to see something positive in Harrow. I look forward to this every year.
“It brings a good energy to the area, even if it’s a bit noisy!”
Another person said: “This day always brings the community together in a special way. It’s a reminder of our roots and a chance to celebrate our culture with pride.
“Seeing everyone out with their flags and the parade is always a highlight for me.”
Indian Independence Day celebrations were held across London.
At the High Commission of India, nearly 1,000 people celebrated with music, dancing and chanting
Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami, marked the beginning of the event by unfurling the tricolour followed by the National Anthem echoing across India House in Aldwych.
He said: “It’s always a delight and, in a sense, a privilege to host as many of our expatriate citizens, as well as, friends of India from the overseas citizens community here in London.
“Today’s turnout was genuinely more than we had expected.
“It all worked really well.
“People were in really good spirits, and I think the President’s message hit the right tone with its discourse about equity, inclusion and the idea of an India where the growth of political democracy is linked with the strengthening of social democracy.
“A very good message to land today and I think the audience really enjoyed it.”
Reflecting on India and the UK’s relationship, the envoy said the bilateral partnership is in a “very good place” in a year that witnessed general elections in both democracies.
Mr Doraiswami continued: “It’s increasingly visible that on both sides the relationship is seen to be of central importance in the foreign policy construct.
“There is, in other words, a bipartisan consensus around the idea of strong India-UK relations in both countries.”
The celebrations included a Bharatanatyam performance by Guru Kanaka Srinivasan’s troupe and renditions of ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Sare Jahan Se Acha’ on the bansuri by flautist Gaurav Uniyal.
On August 14, 2024, the Indian High Commission hosted an event to commemorate ‘Partition Horrors Remembrance Day’, reflecting on some of Partition’s painful memories.
In his address, Mr Doraiswami said:
“This is an attempt by all of us to never forget what happened in that era.
“We need to recognise that what happened should have been an aberration in our larger history in South Asia; that the notion of what unites us should always be greater than what divides us.”
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