DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Tracing His Majesty's connections to Punjab, British Deputy High Commissioner Caroline Rowett hoped the living bridge between the UK and India will continue to strengthen in the coming years.

Hosting an event to mark the British Monarch's birthday, the British Deputy High Commission in Chandigarh paid tribute to His Majesty King Charles III, the UK's Head of State, and acknowledged his contributions to a wide range of causes.

Deputy High Commissioner Caroline Rowett said: "It is such a privilege to celebrate His Majesty's birthday with friends from Chandigarh and the surrounding region. His Majesty's enduring love for India and its culture is well known, and his efforts to promote environmental sustainability and social development resonate deeply here.

"We hope that the living bridge between the UK and India will continue to strengthen in the coming years." In addition to his official and ceremonial duties in the UK and overseas, His Majesty has passionately supported causes related to environmental sustainability, the arts, healthcare, and education.

His Majesty's connections to India, including Chandigarh and Punjab, are wide-ranging. In 2006, he visited Chandigarh, Patiala, Anandpur Sahib and Fatehgarh Sahib.

He returned to Patiala in 2010 and visited the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) in Chandigarh for discussions on urban environmental issues before heading to the village of Hansali in Fatehgarh Sahib district to discuss organic farming.

In 2013, he visited the Indian Military Academy, The Doon School and the Forest Research Institute in Dehradun. A diverse gathering of state governments, politics, arts, education, business, media and sports attended the King's Birthday Party in Chandigarh. The event also celebrated the vibrant 'living bridge' of cultural and economic connections that continues to grow between the UK and India.

The British Deputy High Commission, Chandigarh, reaffirms its commitment to promoting strong cultural and economic ties between the UK and India.
(editor@dailyworld.in)