To celebrate the unique UK-India relationship, a series of events landed in Mumbai saluting the value of embracing different perspectives.
Culture, food and drink have always provided a living bridge between the UK and India and the ‘GREAT Calling Mumbai campaign’ brought these to life with a series of unique collaborations inviting Indian audiences to see things differently.
The October celebrations began with an unforgettable performance of music and dance as bagpipers performed from the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Their iconic sounds were supported by Scottish Highland dancers and local performers from Hormuzd Khambata Dance Company at the St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai. The performance included Indian dancers attempting the Highland Fling and the Scottish dancers showing some Bollywood moves. This new and energetic collaboration honoured the two countries and their partnership demonstrated the benefits of working together to show a fresh point of view.
This was followed by a masterclass with Chef Vineet Bhatia, the Mumbai-born chef who gained his first Michelin star in London, internationally renowned for his progressive modern Indian cuisine. Cooking live from the famous Oberoi Hotel to a handful of select media and live on Instagram, Vineet demoed a mouth-watering fusion UK-Indian meal of sundried tomato trout with coconut khichdi and a moilee sauce. Vineet highlighted the UK’s unique food culture that dates back centuries, from brewing beer and wine to dairy and cheese making.
The GREAT Calling Mumbai campaign concluded with a specially curated drinks tasting session, led by Diageo, where connoisseurs were given the opportunity to learn about and sample beverages from the UK including limited editions of Johnnie Walker and the world’s first non-alcoholic spirit, Seedlip. The UK is the birthplace of many of the world’s favourite spirits, from the remote Scotch whisky distilleries with hundreds of years of history, to craft gins of London that are trialling new and exciting flavours. UK spirits celebrate tradition and encourage innovation in bars across the globe.
The events accompanied the arrival of the Carrier strike Group in Mumbai, demonstrating the UK’s commitment to deepening its diplomatic, economic and security-based ties in the Indo-Pacific region.
Alan Gemmell, Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for South Asia and Deputy High Commissioner for Western India, said:
“The UK and Mumbai have a long-standing history with many shared interests. With the GREAT Calling Mumbai campaign, we are bringing some of the best cultural, food and beverage showcases from Scotland and all across the UK to India’s financial capital. This unique exchange invites Mumbai to see things differently and adds a new flavour to the thriving relationship between the two regions.”
Chef Vineet Bhatia, Ambassador for the GREAT Britain campaign, said:
“Both countries are extremely close to my heart and I consider it a matter of pride to be able to showcase culinary creations from the UK in Mumbai. The two cuisines work perfectly in harmony uniting the quality of British produce and the flavour and creativity of Indian cooking. The UK has so much to offer, from the gentle and rolling hills in England, spectacular mountains in Wales, historic estates in Northern Ireland, and fresh waters of Scotland, the UK provides the perfect setting to sustainably produce the world’s finest food and drink products.”