London marks India's 80th Independence Day with Suryapath Tiranga relay

India House in London marked India's 80th Independence Day with the Suryapath Tiranga relay and a flag-hoisting ceremony. The celebrations highlighted diaspora pride and underscored stronger India-UK ties after the recent trade pact.The High Commission of India in London marked India’s 80th Independence Day on Saturday with the ‘Suryapath Tiranga’ global relay of the Tricolour, alongside the traditional flag hoisting ceremony. Hundreds attended the event, which also featured renditions of the Indian National Anthem, ‘Jana Gana Mana’, and ‘Vande Mataram’, followed by a music and dance performance on the spirit of India’s freedom struggle.Indian High Commissioner to the UK P Kumaran, hosting his first Independence Day celebrations since taking charge at India House in London this year, highlighted the achievements of the Indian diaspora and underlined the strength of the India-UK relationship after the implementation of the free trade agreement last month.“This is my first Independence Day celebration after my arrival in London as High Commissioner and it is wonderful to see the members of the vibrant Indian diaspora here who have achieved so much over the years,” Kumaran told PTI.Explaining the ‘Suryapath Tiranga’ initiative, he said, “Suryapath Tiranga is a sequential celebration of Independence Day across various parts of the world... from the East to the West, as the sun moves across the globe, you will see how the sequential celebration brings together the Indian diaspora across the world to mark a wonderful celebration.” On the bilateral partnership, the High Commissioner said, “The India-UK historical relationship has grown into a multifaceted partnership and a modern one, encompassing a number of areas of the economy. The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which entered into force recently, is the newest example of what we are doing together to try and take our countries forward in the coming years.“We hope that this will increase trade and investment, and also ensure that our manufacturing supply chains are integrated more closely, and that our R&D ecosystems work together with greater purpose; and also the people-to-people connections and connectivity improve in the coming years in a way that propels our partnership forward to newer heights.” During the programme, Kumaran handed out prizes to the winners of the ‘Bharat Ko Janiye’ online quiz and felicitated British Indian chess champions 17-year-old Shreyas Royal and 11-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan after their recent winning streak at the 2026 British Chess Championships. “I’m absolutely ecstatic to have won the British championship. I believe I am the youngest to do so and have been receiving a ton of support. Today, it’s a huge honour to be here and be felicitated at the 80th Independence Day celebrations,” said Royal, who was accompanied by his father Jitendra Singh.The High Commission also organised a Viksit Bharat run in London on Saturday as part of the Independence Day celebrations, rounding off a day that combined the ceremonial observance with community participation and recognition of achievements.With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Aug 15, 2026 16:30 IST