The Parliament Square resonated with loud 'Vande Mataram', 'Jai Hind' and 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' chanting, as hundreds of Indians gathered to walk till the India House, to celebrate India's 70th anniversary and commemorate the UK India Year of Culture. Passer-bys gathered to cheer, with many people shouting 'Chak de India' and 'India Zindabad' from cars and taxis.
The High Commission of India was behind this organisation of this first ever historic Freedom Run at the stroke of the midnight hour of 15 August 2017. The Freedom Run commenced from the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Parliament Square, passing through iconic locations like the Westminster (British Parliament), Big Ben, London Eye, Westminster and Millennium Bridges, Scotland Yard, Strand, etc, and concluded at India Place, which was lighted-up with colours of the National Flag for this special occasion.
This event was full of colour and joy with all the runners displaying India@70 logo on their chests and carrying tricolour beacons whit great enthusiasm. Over 500 runners participated in this historic run that was flagged off by the High Commissioner Mr. Y. K. Sinha and wife Girija Sinha, along with Deputy High Commissioner Dinesh Patnaik and wife Poonam Patnaik. Also joined them the former Deputy High Commissioner of India to UK, Mr Rajesh N Prasad
Mr Patnaik told Asian Voice, “The idea was to celebrate India's diverse culture and varieties. We plan to make this run an annual event and hope to have thousands of people next year. Representatives from different religions and communities such as Tamils, Gujaratis, Punjabis are participating today, to mark this iconic occasion.”
This Freedom Run was not only to celebrate India's freedom achieved 70 years back but also to take forward Prime Minister Modi's pledge to the nation to achieve freedom from poverty, corruption, terrorism, communalism and squalor and achieve all this by the year 2022. It is also a matter of pride for the Indian community in UK which welcomed this Freedom Run with great enthusiasm.
On their arrival at India Place, the runners were welcomed by the High Commissioner Mr. Y. K. Sinha who wished all Indians in the UK, Independence Day. He thanked all participants for joining in the Freedom Run at the stroke of midnight beginning at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi and ending at Indian Place. He spoke of the great strides India has made over the past seven decades. He said, “We started at Mahatma Gandhi’s statue at Parliament Square and have come over a mile to India House to commemorate this historic occasion – 70 years of Indian independence… we celebrate the massive achievements and great strides that India has made in the last seven decades...
“We wanted to do something symbolic and different to mark this milestone. And, what could be more symbolic than a run from Parliament Square opposite Big Ben to the Indian High Commission with such a large crowd of enthusiastic Indians,” he said, adding that the ‘Freedom Run’ symbolises India’s fight for “freedom from corruption and freedom from poverty”.
This was a unique occasion as it was supported not only by the High Commission of India and the Indian community organisations, but also by the office of Mayor of London and India Tourism Office, London. The runners were treated to hot samosas and gulabjamuns along with tea at the India Place, after the run finished.
