- Tuesday, February 25, 2025
The event saw the presence of various dignitaries, including the Indian high commissioner to the UK, and children who staged performances.
By: Shubham Ghosh
RAJ Aggarwal, honorary consul for India in Wales, last week organised the Indian government’s celebration of the 554th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the spiritual founder of Sikhism. Several dignitaries and common people turned up for the event held at Cardiff University.
The event was organised by Aggarwal in collaboration with the Indian government and the Sikh Council of Wales.
The Indian high commissioner, Vikram Doraiswami, who was also present on the occasion, received a warm welcome at the Sikh Gurdwara in Cardiff where other guests also gathered. Later, they joined the celebrations at the Julian Hodge Building at Cardiff University.
Among the dignitaries who joined the celebrations were the Lord Lieutenant of South Glamorgan, Morfudd Meredith; the Rt Hon Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Councillor Bablin Molik; Baroness Jenny Randerson, the chancellor of Cardiff University, besides several other community leaders. Mark Drakeford, the first minister of Wales, also attended the event.
The attendees also included officials from the armed forces.
Read: Captain Raj Aggarwal visits HMS Cardiff in Govan
The event featured performances staged by children from various Sikh temples in Wales. They did kirtan (chanting), recited kavita (Hindi poetry) and told sakhi (recounting of events in Sikh history). An authentic vegetarian buffet was also arranged.
Aggarwal said, “It was a beautiful ceremony and celebration. The diaspora in Wales are hard-working and prosperous and are an amazing asset to the country. This is a huge anniversary for all Indians in Wales and it was especially fantastic that it is open up to people of all religious faiths to come and share such a joyous occasion and for all communities in Wales to come together to enjoy our wonderfully diverse and inclusive society.”
He added, “It was one of the first of many huge celebrations organised all over the world for the 554th birth anniversary of Nanak Dev Ji and all of India and the world will share with the joyous celebrations of this amazing landmark. It was great that it was attended by the high commissioner and an Indian Government minister who were both warmly received at the Gurdwara.”
Gurmit Singh Randhawa, president of the Sikh Council of Wales, said, “The message for today was simple, and is one of communities coming together and celebrating the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, who stood for the poor and downtrodden people in upholding the principles of justice, equality and freedom for all.”
