Highlights:
- First-ever official Indian Independence Day celebration hosted by the Consulate in Newcastle upon Tyne.
- JM Meenu Malhotra DL, Honorary Consul General of India in England, led the event and hoisted the tricolour.
- Cultural highlights included Mi Marathi Dhol Group, a classical dance by Madhura Godbole, and a Tamil flash mob by Spice FM.
- Senior civic leaders, academics, and business figures attended, making it a landmark occasion for the Indian community in the North East of England.
Newcastle hosts first-ever official Independence Day event
The Indian Consulate in Newcastle upon Tyne hosted its first-ever official Independence Day celebration this week, coinciding with India’s 79th Independence Day. The event, hosted at the Civic Centre, coincided with India’s 79th Independence Day and was attended by a cross-section of civic leaders, academics, business representatives, and cultural figures.
The Indian Consulate in Newcastle upon Tyne hosted its first-ever official Independence Day celebration this weekAMG
Meenu Malhotra leads the ceremony
The ceremony was led by JM Meenu Malhotra DL, the Punjabi-born Honorary Consul General of India in England, who hoisted the Indian tricolour for the first time in Newcastle’s history.
JM Meenu Malhotra DL, the Punjabi-born Honorary Consul General of India in EnglandAMG
“It is a proud and historic moment for all of us here in the North East of England,” said Mr Malhotra. “On behalf of the Indian Consulate and my office, I extend warm greetings to everyone celebrating India’s 79th Independence Day with us today.”
Following the flag hoisting and national anthem, keynote addresses were delivered by Mr Malhotra, the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear, and the Deputy Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Councillor Jacqui Robinson.
The Deputy Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Councillor Jacqui Robinson with Mr Meenu MalhotraAMG
Cultural performances add colour
The celebrations opened with traditional drumming by the Mi Marathi Dhol Group, followed by a graceful classical dance performance by Madhura Godbole. The formal ceremony began at 11:00 am, concluding with a Tamil flash mob organised by Spice FM, which enthralled the audience.
- YouTube
Prominent attendees
The event drew notable figures, including Chris Whitehead, Kieran Fernandes, Susan Dungworth, Ciaron Irvine, Andy Long, Peter Heath, Keith Carruthers, Councillors Irim Ali, Hayder Qureshi, Deborah Burns, Taylor Wendy, Sadiq Mehrban, Colin Ferguson, and Doc Anand.
Business leaders Bunty Malhotra and Nidhi Malhotra Anand were also in attendance, along with cultural representatives from Beamish Museum and North East Museums.
A proud moment for the community
Closing the event, Mr Malhotra emphasised that the occasion represented “a proud and historic day for Indians in the North East of England,” underlining the growing cultural presence of the Indian diaspora in the region.
Seven men jailed for more than 170 years for Rochdale child sexual exploitation 
