India Republic Day
High Commissioner Ghanashyam chats to the Shadow Trade Secretary Barry Gardiner MP
High Commissioner Ghanashyam greets the Ambassador of Nepal Dr Durga Bahadur Subedi
A fusion of Bharatanatyam and Kathak dance
High Commissioner Ghanashyam and the High Commissioner for South Africa Ms Nomathemba Tambo
High Commissioner Ghanashyam welcomes the Ambassador of Austria Dr Michael Zimmermann
High Commissioner Ghanashyam with the Ambassador of Korea Mrs Enna Park
The Ambassador of Poland Professor Arkady Rzegocki congratulates High Commissioner Ghanashyam
India Day took place beneath the Gothic arches of the Great Hall in Guildhall
The new High Commissioner for Barbados Mr Milton Inniss, the High Commissioner for Papua New Guinea Mrs Winnie Kiap, the IMO Secretary General Mr Kitack Lim and the High Commissioner for Cyprus Mr Euripides Evriviades
Guests enjoy a lavish feast of curry
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India goes platinum
Luminaries from the worlds of politics, diplomacy, business and the media joined the newly-arrived Indian High Commissioner Ruchi Ghanashyam within at the City of London’s historic Guildhall for a vibrant celebration of India’s 70th Republic Day.
In her Republic Day address (her first in London) the High Commissioner listed India’s many achievements over the past seven decades, such as its status as the world’s largest democracy (which will be demonstrated in the upcoming parliamentary elections) and the world’s sixth largest and fastest growing economy.
Turning to UK-India ties, the High Commissioner said the world’s oldest and largest democracies “shared values and a commitment to a rules-based international system”. Their strategic partnership encompassed a wide range of areas – from trade to digital, education, science and technology and defence, all underpinned by the “living bridge” of a large and vibrant Indian diaspora.
The diaspora were the foundation of the cultural ties between the two nations, said guest of Honour, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the Rt Hon Jeremy Wright MP. After a successful India-UK shared year of culture in 2018, Britain looked forward to welcoming Indian sports fans to the Cricket World Cup and the Commonwealth Games in 2022.
The cultural fusion continued as guests savoured steaming bowls of curry while being mesmerised by Bharatanatyam and Kathak dance under the Medieval gothic arches of Guildhall.
Above Photo: High Commissioner Ghanashyam and guest of honour the Rt Hon Jeremy Wright MP, Secretary of State for Digital Culture Media and Sport
PHOTOS PIERRE DE VILLIERS