London, May 06: The coronation ceremony of King Charles III, held at Westminster Abbey in London, was attended by several dignitaries from India, including Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and actor Sonam Kapoor.
The last time such a royal spectacle was witnessed was 70 years ago during the coronation of the monarch’s mother Elizabeth as the Queen.
Vice President Dhankhar and his wife Sudesh Dhankhar represented India at the ceremony, while Sonam Kapoor delivered a spoken word performance introducing the Commonwealth virtual choir. In addition, two dabbawalas from Mumbai represented their fraternity at the event, presenting the King with a Puneri turban and a shawl made by the Warkari community.
Several Indian community workers who had been associated with the King’s charity initiatives were also invited, including a self-made consultant and a chef.
Sourabh Phadke, a Pune-born architect who graduated from Charles’ Foundation’s Building Craft Programme and the Prince’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts, was among those invited to the ceremony. Gulfsha, who was awarded the Prince’s Trust Global Award last year, and Indian-origin Jay Patel from Canada, who completed the Prince’s Trust Canada’s Youth Employment programme, were also on the guest list.
Rishi Sunak, the first Indian-origin Prime Minister of Britain, recited from the biblical book of Colossians at the ceremony. He and his wife Akshata Murty also led the procession of flag-bearers. Lord Indrajit Singh represented the Sikh faith, while Lord Syed Kamall of Indo-Guyanese heritage represented the Muslim faith.
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King Charles had previously visited Mumbai’s famous dabbawalas during his visit to India in 2003. Inviting them to his coronation ceremony was a way of honouring their work and paying tribute to their contributions to society.
The ceremony was attended by heads of state and governments along with foreign dignitaries, and it marked a significant milestone in the history of the British monarchy. The presence of several Indian dignitaries and community workers highlighted the deep cultural and historical ties between India and Britain.
Overall, the coronation ceremony of King Charles III provided an opportunity for India and Britain to strengthen their ties and showcase their mutual respect and admiration for each other’s cultures and traditions.
