Indian Community Celebrates 79th Independence Day Across New Zealand

Members of New Zealand’s Indian community gathered in large numbers to celebrate India’s 79th Independence Day on August 15, 2023. Events took place in cities including Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Palmerston North, featuring flag hoisting ceremonies, cultural performances, and community gatherings.

At the High Commission in Wellington, more than 400 attendees witnessed the Indian National flag being raised by High Commissioner Neeta Bhushan. She delivered excerpts from the annual address of Indian President Droupadi Murmu, highlighting the significance of the day. The event featured patriotic songs and dances performed by students from local institutions, including the Wellington Hindi School and Khandallah School.

The celebrations reflect a broader trend where Indians and people of Indian descent worldwide come together annually to commemorate the struggle for independence from British rule, which was achieved on August 15, 1947.

In Auckland, Madan Mohan Sethi, the Indian Consulate General, led the festivities and expressed optimism about fostering stronger ties between New Zealand and India. He remarked on the beginning of a new era of friendship, urging the community to remain united. During the celebrations, Veer Khar, President of the New Zealand Indian Central Association, called for greater political representation for the Indian community, now the third largest in the country.

Prominent local politicians, including Labour MP Priyanca Radhakrishnan and ACT MP Parmjeet Parmar, shared their experiences and connections to their Indian heritage. Radhakrishnan stated, “Today we celebrate the value of democracy—something worth fighting for.” Parmar echoed similar sentiments, saying, “For me and my family, both India and New Zealand are home.”

Whangārei Mayor Vince Cocurullo attended the Auckland event at the Mahatma Gandhi Centre, announcing plans for future celebrations in his district. A business meeting and culinary showcase will take place on August 18, organized in collaboration with the Whangārei District Council and the Indian Consulate.

This year’s celebrations have expanded significantly since the opening of the Indian Consulate General in Auckland in September 2022. Sethi noted, “We are organizing a multi-city, multi-day Indian festival titled ‘The World and Us,’ which aims to unite our shared values of culture, cuisine, and commerce.” The festival will feature events from August 15 to 18 in various locations, including Hamilton and Whangārei.

A highlight of the festivities was an Indian food festival at Auckland’s North Shore, where renowned chefs Satyanarayana Pandari and Anuj Mathur showcased signature dishes such as Hyderabadi biryani and Bengali fish curry. Culinary educators Prem Ram and Suprabhat Banerjee emphasized the importance of food diplomacy between India and New Zealand, stating, “Indian cuisine is so diverse it can be combined with any other cuisine of the world.”

The celebrations will continue with a friendly MasterChef competition featuring Indian and New Zealand chefs, as well as cultural evenings led by popular Indian singer Shibani Kashyap. These events will include collaborations between Māori and Indian cultures, showcasing the rich diversity and unity within New Zealand’s Indian community. The series of activities promises to be both engaging and enlightening, reinforcing the bonds between the two nations.