Indian Community Celebrates 79th Independence Day Across New Zealand

The Indian community in New Zealand has come together to celebrate India’s 79th Independence Day with a series of events held across the nation. Key gatherings took place in major cities, including Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Palmerston North, where ceremonial flag hoisting marked the occasion.

At the Indian High Commission in Wellington, Neeta Bhushan, the High Commissioner of India to New Zealand, hoisted the Indian National Flag. She also shared excerpts from the annual address given by Indian President Droupadi Murmu, reflecting on the significance of the day. More than 400 attendees enjoyed patriotic songs and cultural presentations, showcasing performances by students from the Wellington Hindi School and Khandallah School.

Multicultural Celebrations Across the Country

The celebrations included dance performances from various cultural groups, such as the Shivam Dance Academy and the Sri Chakra School of Fine Arts, highlighting the vibrant tapestry of Indian culture in New Zealand. In Auckland, Madan Mohan Sethi, the Consul General of India, led local festivities and emphasized the strengthening relationship between India and New Zealand.

During the gathering, Veer Khar, President of the New Zealand Indian Central Association, urged the community, now the third largest in the country, to unify and seek greater political representation. Current Members of Parliament of Indian origin, Priyanca Radhakrishnan and Parmjeet Parmar, spoke about their heritage. Radhakrishnan remarked, “Today we celebrate the value of democracy—something worth fighting for.” Parmar added, “For me and my family, both India and New Zealand are home.”

In Whangārei, Mayor Vince Cocurullo attended the Auckland event and expressed eagerness to host part of the celebrations in his district next week. The Whangārei District Council, in collaboration with the Indian Consulate, is set to organize a business meeting and culinary showcase on August 18.

A Growing Celebration of Culture and Cuisine

With the establishment of the Indian Consulate General in Auckland last September, this year’s Independence Day celebrations are notably larger and more diverse. Sethi mentioned the introduction of a multi-city festival titled “The World and Us,” which promotes shared cultural, culinary, and commercial values between India and New Zealand. Celebrations are scheduled from August 15 to 18, featuring events in Wellington, Auckland, Hamilton, and Whangārei.

An Indian food festival also commenced at Auckland’s North Shore, featuring renowned chefs from India, Satyanarayana Pandari and Anuj Mathur, who prepared signature dishes such as Hyderabadi biryani and Bengali fish curry. The event also included culinary educators Prem Ram and Suprabhat Banerjee, who emphasized the potential for food diplomacy between the two nations. Ram noted, “Indian cuisine is so diverse it can be combined with any other cuisine of the world.”

Looking ahead, a friendly cooking competition will take place on Saturday, featuring both Indian and New Zealand chefs. The festivities will continue with cultural evenings at Auckland’s Dew Drop Events Centre on August 16 and at Hamilton’s Waikato Indian Association Hall on August 17. These events, free to the public, will feature acclaimed singer Shibani Kashyap and a unique cross-cultural fashion show curated by the Whiria Collective and India’s CD Foundation.

As the Indian community celebrates its heritage, the events serve not only as a tribute to India’s independence but also as an opportunity to foster connections within New Zealand, showcasing the richness of Indian culture and cuisine.