As a part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav event of the Government of India, Heritage Bengal Global will mark Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s 125th birthday. Saraswati puja will also be held for the first time in the Nelson and Victoria Halls of Ealing Town hall by the UK-based not-for-profit organisation on 22nd January from 12 noon to 8 pm. The puja will be followed by pushpanjali, 'Haatey Khori' - a Bengali ritual where kids are introduced to script (letters) in front of the goddess of education - Saraswati. There will be cultural events as well.
A portrait drawing competition will take place on the same day. The idea of this portrait drawing by the diaspora came from the Indian Deputy HC Sujit Ghosh, which received a great response from the diaspora across the globe. Some of the participants include Aaliya Sen (12) from Germany, Dyutimoy Banerjee from Kolkata, Nandini Kumar, a student of Pearson art school New York, Rajib Saha from Harrow, Kalyanmoy Roy from Cambridge, Sayantan Chakraborty from Ruislip, Mahua Bej from Sutton, and Sourav Pal from Harrow.
Anirban Mukhopadhyay, Director of HBG said, “Netaji's contribution to India’s independence movement is of course worth remembering. This year is a milestone for his birthday and the portrait drawing competition to mark the occasion makes it even more unique as a celebration. I am very pleased the High Commission of India is a part of this initiative. We also have UK MPs and Peers involved and attending the event. We would like wider participation from the community, making it a bigger success and a yearly event going forward."
There will be an exhibition at the Ealing Town hall on the day. Interestingly enough, amidst all these, there will be representatives of the Royal Army, Navy and Air Force. The Ealing and Southall MP Virendra Sharma has been working closely with the team with his guidance and advice.
