India's Independence Day celebrated by the NRI community in UK

From H S Rao
London, Sept 19 (PTI) More than 4,000 members of the
Non-Resident Indian community in the UK celebrated India's
64th Independence Day with gusto at the Indian Gymkhana Club
here.
Despite the delay owing to several factors including the
London riots, the celebration was organised by the community,
with the help of the Indian High Commission to the UK, with a
series of cultural programmes including one by students of
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, children's painting competitions and
entertainment programmes.
Addressing the gathering, Acting Indian High
Commissioner to the UK Rajesh Prasad said he is happy that the
Indian community was in the forefront in organising the event
as a "community" event.
Admitting that there was considerable delay in
organising the celebrations owing to several reasons, Prasad
said "in future, we, in cooperation with the community, will
try to institutionalise the celebration on a fixed date so
that more members of the community could participate in it".
Referring to the rapid progress made by India in the
economic and other fields, he said, "we are currently engaged
in India in the gigantic task of removing poverty".
Describing India as a diverse country with a large
population, Prasad said, "we are proud that we are an open,
free and democratic society".
Referring to the vast progress made by NRIs in the UK,
the Acting High Commissioner told the Indian community: "you
have done us proud".
Referring to the India-UK relations, he said "They are
very strong, and probably stronger than ever. What we have
managed to do is not to get mired in the past. We have taken
positive aspects of the past and moved forward".
Prominent among those who spoke on the occasion included
Baroness Varma, Virendra Sharma, Labour MP, Entrepreneur Prof
Nat Puri and industrialist Dr Rami Ranger.
Ranger thanked the founders of the Indian Constitution
for providing the country a "democratic and secular framework"
so that all communities could live and prosper together.
"Let us be proud as Indians as we, as a community, work
hard and achieve outstanding results and contribute to the
society where we are settled".
Vijay Goel, a leading NRI solicitor and partner in
Singhania and Co, a solicitor firm here described the
community event as a "good initiative.
He said the NRI community was very happy to participate
in the event and get connected with their motherland.
Puri, a leading entrepreneur, said the High Commission
had done a good thing by encouraging the NRI community to
organise and celebrate the country's Independence Day.