Indian diplomatic missions in UK mark Sewa Parv with Viksit Bharat Run

London, Sep 29 (PTI) The High Commission of India in London and Consulates in the UK marked Sewa Parv 2025 with a series of Viksit Bharat Run events, attracting community members to rally around the message of "service, creativity and cultural pride".

Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami opened the event at Harrow in north-west London on Sunday with the Atmanirbhar Bharat pledge, which commits Indians around the world to carry forward the nation's culture, tradition and heritage.

The senior diplomat later planted a cherry tree sapling at the high commissioner’s official residence in central London under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' initiative, as a "tribute to the nurturing spirit of Mother Earth and a commitment to a more sustainable and green future".

"Congratulations to all the winners and participants of the Viksit Bharat Run in Harrow. From the first stride to the finish line, they embodied the spirit of commitment, resilience, and unity," said the Indian High Commission in London.

"High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami also administered the Viksit Bharat and Atmanirbhar Bharat pledge to participants: a pledge to carry forward our rich culture, tradition, heritage, and to contribute to the global good, wherever we may be," it added.

The run had a festive spirit, including dhol beats and traditional song-and-dance, and was attended by Harrow's Indian-origin Mayor Anjana Patel and local MP Bob Blackman, among others.

The new Consulate General of India (CGI) in Manchester, which opened earlier this year, said its Viksit Bharat Run was "an ode to India's development story".

"It was a morning of gusto and patriotism and encouraged healthy living and reinforced our commitment to the vision of a Viksit Bharat," said CGI Manchester, where Consul General Vishakha Yaduvanshi led the Atmanirbhar Bharat pledge.

The event, held in association with Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP), PolicyGhar and Indian Community Liverpool, also marked the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' initiative with a tree sapling plantation.

Similar events, organised in partnership with local Indian community groups, took place in Scotland, in association with the Glasgow Indian Association, and in Birmingham, where the Viksit Bharat Run culminated at the Golden Boy statue in the city centre.

Under the government's stated vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047, the Ministry of Culture had declared September 17 to October 2 as Sewa Parv, to bring together "communities, institutions and individuals in a collective spirit of sewa (service), creativity and cultural pride". PTI AK MPL MPL