The Mayor, TfL and London Play encourage communities to reimagine streets on September 22 in different ways for play and active travel to mark Car Free Day…reports Asian Lite News
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Transport for London (TfL) and London Play are encouraging Londoners to transform their streets into spaces for playful celebration and street parties on Car Free Day in September.
Local streets across London will be open for play between Friday 20 September and Sunday 22 September as they become play streets for the day, enabling thousands of Londoners to play, walk, cycle and spend time with their neighbours. London hosted its largest Car Free Day celebrations in 2019, which saw thousands of people enjoy traffic-free streets in central London as well as hundreds of local streets across the capital. Since the pandemic, Car Free Day events have been focused on local neighbourhoods, and continue to offer a fantastic opportunity for people to enjoy their streets in new ways.
London Play is inviting the capital’s residents to swap their cars for space hoppers and transform their streets into temporary spaces for play and social gatherings. The annual event is on Sunday 22 September. It coincides with the official launch of the London Overground line which runs between Highbury & Islington and West Croydon being named the Windrush line, happening in autumn. TfL is working with London Play to encourage residents in the nine boroughs it passes through to hold carnival-inspired street parties to celebrate. One lucky neighbourhood will also win their own mini-carnival event including an on-street ‘Karnival Kart’ building workshop and parade, party games and carnival wing making.
Hackney Council is getting into the carnival spirit as well as the Hackney Carnival returns following a five-year absence on Sunday 22 September. Locals will be able to enjoy a free a family-focused street parade featuring Hackney’s loyal legacy carnival groups that celebrate the borough’s diverse communities. The daytime event will showcase eye-catching floats and vibrant colourful costumes that celebrate the diversity of carnival culture.
Walking and Cycling Commissioner, Will Norman, said: “The Mayor and I are committed to enabling even more Londoners to incorporate walking and cycling into their daily lives. We are delighted to once again be supporting the activation of play streets on Car Free Day, a unique opportunity to transform streets into playful and social spaces, where all members of the community can come together to scoot, bike, walk, space hop and socialise safely.
I encourage all Londoners to join in the fun and reclaim our streets with this fantastic initiative, which supports our aim for a greener, fairer London for all.”
Fiona Sutherland, Director of London Play, said: “London Play is delighted to be working with TfL and City Hall to inspire more creative uses of London’s streets, which make up 80 per cent of public space in the capital. Car Free Day is a great opportunity for Londoners to discover the joyful potential of the space outside their front doors, free of traffic for a few hours. Will they choose to simply share a cuppa with the neighbours? Race a spacehopper down the street? Play hopscotch? Or have a full-blown carnival-inspired street party? In all cases we guarantee that people will look at their streets differently, having witnessed how they can be transformed with fun for just a few hours.”
Emma Strain, Customer Director at Transport for London, said: “Whether people are playing hopscotch or socialising with friends and neighbours, we hope that people across the capital take advantage of Car Free Day in September. Customers travelling on what will become the London Overground Windrush line this autumn, will see stations joining the celebrations.”
Caroline Woodley, Mayor of Hackney: “Hackney Council is very proud to support Car Free Day. This is a fantastic initiative that promotes healthier lifestyles, a cleaner environment, and aligns with our commitment to creating a greener, healthier borough.
“We can’t wait to take to the streets this September to join residents for our family-friendly Hackney Carnival and celebrate our community’s rich diversity. By reducing traffic and encouraging alternative modes of transport, we can create safer, more vibrant streets on which everyone can enjoy this year’s parade.”
Once Londoners have enjoyed the experience of seeing their street in a new light – as valuable community space – it is hoped that many will go on to apply for regular play street sessions. This will contribute to tackling isolation and improving mental health in London’s communities, improving air quality, reducing road danger and inspiring more Londoners of all ages to get active as part of their daily lives through walking and cycling.
Sir Keir has demonstrated his full commitment to South Asian communities across our country. I would like to illustrate this with the appointment of an individual, who I have had the immense pleasure of getting to know over the last year or two and working with. Vidhya Alekson OBE – who was recently appointed Political Director at Number 10 … writes Professor Kishan Devani BEM
Sir Keir Statmer has shown not just in words but in action his undying commitment to the South Asian Diaspora in the UK. Whether it is through his own work in his Camden Constituency or through his own offices while he was Leader of the Opposition and now in Number 10.
Sir Keir has demonstrated his full commitment to South Asian communities across our country. I would like to illustrate this with the appointment of an individual, who I have had the immense pleasure of getting to know over the last year or two and working with. Vidhya Alekson OBE – who was recently appointed Political Director at Number 10.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer with Prof. Kishan Devani BEM
Vidhya is an inspiration to many of us in the diaspora as she was appointed to this role by Sir Keir after the General Election victory, but prior to that Vidhya served as Sir Keir’s Director of External Relations & Stakeholder engagement – while he was Leader of the Opposition. Having worked with Vidhya, myself, I can say to the wider South Asian Community that there is not a better person for the role and that it is a matter of pride that we have a member of the South Asian Diaspora at the heart of Number 10. Her humiliy, passion and dedication to our country through her public service. Vidhya was previously instrumental in starting up Power to Change – an independent trust, established in 2015 to support and grow community-led businesses across England. She led the trust from 2015 to 2022.
Prior to this, Vidhya was the deputy chief executive at the Resolution Foundation, an independent think tank focusing on living standards, and was also the mental health lead for the personal health budgets delivery programme at NHS England. Vidhya worked at the US Department of Health and Human Services in Washington D.C. from 2006-2010 and before that at the UK Treasury and the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit.
Vidhya Alakeson
Vidhya has a modern languages degree from the University of Oxford and an MSc from the London School of Economics. She is a former Trustee of the Young Foundation. This appointment in itself illustrates our Prime Ministers commitment to the South Asian Community, by having individuals such as Vidhya at the heart of Government is a matter of pride for all of us and shows Sir Keir’s commitment to our wider community. We now have a Labour Prime Minister in Number 10 who is committed to Equality, Diversity and inclusion.
With his formidable Cabinet, Parliamentary team and his Number 10 Team – he is a force for good and will bring about the change necessary to give South Asian Communities across our country the ability to thrive and flourish.
Lady Shri Ram College, a premier women’s educational institution in India has alumni worldwide and the network has alumni groups dotted around the globe. London chapter of the alumni body called ELSA-UK is a vibrant group of about 300 alumni based in and around London. The network has done about fifty networking fireside chats in the last decade with movers and shakers from different fields to seek inspiration, facilitate networking at these thought leadership sessions and celebrate aspirations also achievements of the speakers invited who the group feels they can learn from. The alumni body overall has tens of thousands of members worldwide.
In July 2024 some of the ELSA-UK group members had the opportunity to hear aninspirational journey of breaking through barriers from Taha Shah Badussha who’s done this to forge a a game-changing acting trajectory for himself. This coffee chat style chat with Taha was absolutely incredible to say the least, to hear his tale of grit, determination, never give up spirit, discipline, hope, positivity, perseverance, his go-getter attitude left each and everyone moved and motivated!
Taha Shah Badussha is a versatile talent in the Indian entertainment scene, renowned for his impactful performances on both big screens and digital platforms. He gained prominence with his breakout role in the 2011 film “Luv KaThe End,” followed by notable appearances in hits like “Gippi” (2013), “Barkhaa” (2015), “Baar Baar Dekho” (2016), and “Ranchi Diaries” (2017).
Transitioning seamlessly to digital, he starred in the acclaimed web series “Taj: Divided by Blood” on Zee5 in 2022, further solidifying his stature as a compelling actor across various mediums. He also appeared in the US project “Draupadi Unleashed,” which received critical acclaim.
Badussha’s portrayal of Tajdar in the highly acclaimed Netflix series “Heeramandi” marked a significant turning point in his career, earning him widespread acclaim and making him a national crush and sensation. As the biggest ever web series made in India on any OTT platform, this role gave him the recognition he truly deserves as an artist.
ELSA UK fireside with Taha was truly remarkable they felt, offering a glimpse into the mind of a strategic, hardworking, driven actor. Taha shared his journey with humility and candor, recounting the challenges he faced, how he surmounted these with support of his mother and all the internal resources he sought to create a successful career for himself. His insights on resilience, adaptability, and the importance of staying true to one’s values resonated deeply with the group. Taha’s humbleness, friendliness, optimism left a lasting impression, motivating everyone to strive for excellence and make a meaningful impact in their own endeavors.
With “Heeramandi” Taha has got global recognition and fan following. With this Taha has proven his mettle and is set for future big collaborations, promising more remarkable performances that will captivate audiences.
Lucky Cat is inspired by the 1930s Tokyo’s kissas and Shanghai’s drinking dens, experiential dining, inventive cocktails, and a thriving entertainment roster are cornerstones of the dining experience. Opened in 2019, Lucky Cat was inspired by Gordon’s travels through different Asian countries including Thailand, Vietnam, Japan and China. Lucky Cat’s menu is exceptional; a culinary journey exploring different Asian cuisines in thoughtful fashion. A feature by FnB columnist Riccha Grrover for Asian Lite International.
The drinks menu at Lucky Cat features their own curated cocktail range, with the signature Lucky Negroni requiring our guests to roll the dice to determine their bespoke drink, amongst beloved classics featuring an Asian flavour twist. The wine and sake offering is equally extensive and immersive.
Discerning diners will marvel at the food menu which is a smart exploration of different Asian cuisines. From sashimi and sushi delivered from the raw bar to Lucky Cat’s signature black cod, ‘GFC’ (Gordon Fried Chicken), short rib and BAO. Guests will appreciate the elevated dishes cooked with only the finest ingredients. The menu’s journey through Asian means variety is key and diners can indulge in Lucky Cat every day of the week.
While desserts may not be commonplace at other Asian restaurants, this is one of Lucky Cat’s specialties. The dedicated all female pastry team in Mayfair carefully weave flavours of rose, lychee and yuzu through beautiful dishes that ensure dessert is a must-order.
Executive chef André Camilo proudly reflects that Lucky Cat is different to similar venues in Mayfair because they equally prioritise the food and the experience. Every detail across both facets are meticulously planned. “No one is doing what we’re doing. They’re not offering the variety and calibre of what our menu does, the expertly crafted cocktails or the ambiance that keeps people here all night. We are proud of our guest experience, and what we’re doing to continue Gordon’s vision when the team first created Lucky Cat,” Camilo said.
The team create new dishes every few months or, perhaps, revisit and refine some previous Lucky Cat favourites. Certain dishes, however, always appear on the menu, due to customer demand. These include GFC, the Bonito Fried Duck Leg Bao, the Hand-Dived Scallops with Yuzu, and the exquisitely simple, classic Yellowtail sashimi. Gordon’s vision of only offering the best at every touchpoint is evident with all the suppliers Lucky Cat has strong relationships with.
For those looking to for a more immersive dining experience, their semi-private options are an exceptional choice. The Chef’s Table seats 10 and is paired with a bespoke menu completely tailored to our guests tastes, while the Kitchen Table offers two menus that elevate the signature offering. There are also three stunning private dining rooms that capture the personality of the main restaurant.
The Lucky Cat team are committed to sharing their knowledge across exceptional food and beverage so offer a series of boutique masterclasses. From sake to sushi, desserts to cocktails, learn from the best in one of London’s premier restaurants as you expand your expertise and learn some of the secrets behind Lucky Cat’s specialties.
At Lucky Cat in London Mayfair the service is top-notch and ambiance is unparalleled, where the meal experience is both exceptional and experiential; is inspired by Gordon Ramsay’s extensive travels throughout Asia and his vision to bring together the best cuisines of the region with inventive cocktails and ambiance. Highly Recommended! Lucky Cat Manchester opened in June 2023 and Miami recently opened their doors in February 2024.
The evening featured an inspiring talk by tennis legend and former Indian champion, Padma Bhushan Leander Paes. Paes shared his journey, challenges, and triumphs, celebrating not only his achievements but also the passion and dedication that tennis embodies…reports Asian Lite News
Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites and Residences and St. James’ Court, a Taj Hotel Announce Spectacular Wimbledon Party
Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites and Residences, and St James’ Court A Taj Hotel, hosted an extraordinary Wimbledon Party on 6th July, bringing tennis fever to the heart of London. In collaboration with the Bicester Collection and supported by the International Tennis Federation, the event was a grand tribute to the iconic tennis championship and the spirit of Tennis.
The hotels have a long-standing tradition of celebrating Wimbledon, and this year they elevated the experience with an exclusive courtyard party. The festivities began at 6 pm, transforming the courtyard into a tennis haven with sundowner cocktails and an alfresco dinner.
Guests enjoyed an array of canapés, including Coriander Yuzu Cream Burgers, Onion Cakes, Heirloom Tomato Fanciers, and Mini Shepherd’s Pies. A Caviar Station and a selection of English Cheeses and savouries added to the culinary extravaganza. Dessert offerings included Yoghurt, Strawberry and Rose Cake, classic Victoria Sponge cake, and Custard Panna Cotta with poached rhubarb and ginger crumble.
The special cocktail menu featured unique creations such as the Backhand Blend (Bourbon Whiskey, Pimm’s, and vanilla), Deuce Spruce (Limoncello, yuzu, and celery), and the quintessential British classic, Pimm’s No. 1.
The evening featured an inspiring talk by tennis legend and former Indian champion, Padma Bhushan Leander Paes. Paes shared his journey, challenges, and triumphs, celebrating not only his achievements but also the passion and dedication that tennis embodies. Leander Paes boasts an illustrious career spanning over three decades, with 18 Grand Slam titles in doubles and mixed doubles, a Wimbledon victory, a bronze medal from the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award. This year, he is being inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, recognizing his significant contributions to the sport.
Miss Avari, Area Director UK & General Manager Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites & Residences and St. James’ Court London, A Taj Hotel said “The Taj has had the honour of hosting numerous Wimbledon champions over the years, and tonight is no exception. We are thrilled to welcome Leander Paes, a 2024 International Tennis Hall of Fame inductee and a Padma Bhushan awardee. Leander’s connection with the Taj is one we hold dear. This legacy of Leander Paes with the Taj is something we truly cherish.”
Tennis in Britain is more than just a sport; it is the essence of summer. Wimbledon brings people together, fills us with excitement, and showcases human athleticism and determination. Last night’s event celebrated this spirit and the shared love for the game.
Keir Starmer’s new world is a government that values public service and puts country before party as opposed to Conservatives with their partygate scandals … writes Mihir Bose
Keir Starmer’s election victory has echoes of Indian elections and of football. Election victories in India, particularly if they are gigantic, are described as waves. So, in 1971 when Mrs Indira Gandhi won her great election victory, just months before India’s Bangladesh war liberated the country and stopped the dreadful Pakistan army genocide of the Bengalis, it was described as the Indira wave.
But in 1977 when she was removed from power after the Emergency, it was called the Janata wave, the Janata party being an Indian liquorice all sorts political bag which had finally combined in an anti- Indira coalition to get rid of her. The fact that the word Janata also means people in Hindi gave it a certain feel of people coming together to remove this wicked witch. She had imposed the emergency when for the only time India was a dictatorship since it won its freedom from Britain.
In recent years Indian elections have seen the Narendra Modi wave. In the election that has just taken place Modi was forecasting not so much a wave as a tsunami but the tectonic plates did not quite move so dramatically and the final election result far from being a tsunami can hardly be called even a Modi wave, certainly not on the scale of the two previous elections.
rime Minister Keir Starmer hosts his first Cabinet at 10 Downing Street. Picture by Lauren Hurley / No 10 Downing Street
I mention all this because looking at the British election results, and given the scale of the Labour Party victory, it would be tempting to call this the Keir Starmer wave. Labour is not used to winning elections. Keir Starmer is only the 7th Labour Prime Minister, and this is only the 6th election where it has won a comfortable majority. Tony Blair was very proud of the fact that he won three successive elections something no Labour Prime Minister had done not even the great Clement Attlee, possibly Labour’s greatest Prime Minister.
Historically, Labour win British elections in very exceptional circumstances. In 1945 its greatest ever victory came after the war. The victory of Atlee, the little man who everybody had dismissed, and who Winston Churchill had mocked, “Mr Attlee is a very modest man. He has much to be modest about”, was totally unexpected. The nation decided that Churchill winning the war did not mean he could run the country after the war was over. The British public wanted a new world and the modest man was best equipped to deliver it. In 1964 Harold Wilson came to power following the scandals of the Harold Macmillan era in particular the Profumo scandal. And in 1997 Tony Blair capitalised on the economic problems of John Major’s government .
In some ways Starmer has borrowed from all these winning Labour leaders. Just as Atlee promised a new world so does Starmer. Attlee promised and delivered on providing a national service health service and bringing in a great many industries into public ownership. Starmer’s new world is a government that values public service and puts country before party as opposed to Conservatives with their partygate scandals. As he put it from the podium of No 10 Downing Street in his first speech as Prime Minister, “public service is a privilege and that your government should treat very single person in this country with respect.” Wilson had made much of thirteen wasted Tory years. Starmer has never stopped reminding people of fourteen years of Conservative chaos. And while Blair spoke of Britain being a new country, Starmer promises to renew this country and make it a shiny new place. What Attlee, Wilson or Blair could not do was make Labour the natural part of government in Britain. Wilson at one stage had said Labour was the natural party of government but he was proved wrong when he unexpectedly lost the 1970 election. Should Starmer rebuild this country and make people believe it can trust politicians he could indeed make Labour the natural party of government. But that will be a big task.
However, Starmer has shown he can defy expectations. He took over a party that seemed destined for permanent opposition. In the 2019 election Labour had its worst ever result since 1935. Boris Johnson, the victor, had also destroyed the red wall seats and annexed electoral land which had historically been Labour. There seemed no way back, at least not for decades. Starmer who was deputy leader in 2019 when Labour was led by Jeremy Corbyn had signed up to all his left-wing agenda.
Then Prime Minister Boris Johnson accompanied by Sir Keir Starmer at Belfairs Methodist Church, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. Picture by Andrew Parsons / No 10 Downing Street
Then when he stood to became leader in his own right he promised to safeguard the Corbyn legacy. During this campaign when asked about it he said had not expected to win the 2019 election which revealed that beneath that look of an unfeeling bureaucrat lurks quite a shrewd politician. The real Starmer emerged when after his election as leader he decided that to win Labour had to move to the centre. It was on this change platform that he campaigned and won and kept saying Labour has changed. He also referred to how Labour had changed in that first address to the British public from outside No 10 Downing Street just after he had shaken hands with the King and become Prime Minister.
The fact that Starmer has to say Labour has changed highlights the problem a Labour leader always faces when it is fighting a general election. In 1997 Tony Blair made much of the fact that he was leading New Labour which was not remotely the Labour of Michael Foot or even Neil Kinnock, two of his predecessors who had led the party to defeat. Just to prove this he had also removed Clause Four from the Labour constitution which had enshrined a socialist control of the economy to prove that Labour had moved to the centre. The fact that in order to win Starmer, more than a quarter of century later, also had to say the party has changed shows how to win elections in this country, which is broadly centre right, a left-wing party has to prove it is not too left wing.
However, what is interesting is that Starmer and his team have been very careful to emphasise that this endless repeating of the word change is not remotely like Blair’s talk of New Labour. This was dramatically revealed to me when I asked Rachel Reeves, who has now become the first woman Chancellor of the Exchequer, as to whether Starmer’s party was not really New Labour. She bristled and denied it. This is because despite Blair’s historic three victories, which no Labour leader has ever managed, New Labour is not a slogan Labour activists much cared for. It reflects the fact that the party faithful never really fell in love with Blair’s New Labour label and are often more comfortable being a party that campaigns for change rather than wanting to bring about change. And this is where Starmer is different. He gives every indication he wants to change things not just shout slogans about the changes necessary and not bother about making the changes.
Starmer ability to make changes may be helped by the fact that his arrival at No 10 has been facilitated by the fact that Conservatives far from showing they are a natural governing party have been behaving in the way Labour has often behaved, as a great squabbling party, if anything even worse than Labour has been. Labour in power has always squabbled with the left feeling that the party is too right-wing and a pale shadow of the Conservatives. Labour election victories have been followed by internal party splits driven by ideological differences although with the Blair government it was personal rivalry between Blair and Gordon Brown who grew increasingly angry that Blair would not vacate No 10 and allow Brown to become Prime Minister. However, all this has been dwarfed by the scale of the Conservative infighting that we have seen with five prime ministers since 2010.Conservatives had a reputation for knowing how to win power and maintain power. The last 14 years has completely ruined that reputation.
To make matters worse for the Conservatives they now have to their right the Reform Party which could seriously challenge their position as the historic right-wing party of this country. Watching the results in the early hours of Friday morning what was striking was how, as Labour held seats in the north, seats it would be expected to hold with its own votes going up very slowly if at all, it was the Reform party which got votes from the Conservatives and came second. Reform may have only five MPs but in many seats it has more votes than the Conservatives. The hard right party won 14 % of the vote, more than 4m votes in total, and came second in more than 100 seats. In the next election the main opposition for Labour in many constituencies will be not the Conservative party but the Reform Party.
What is worse for the Conservatives is that is has become like the Labour party. Labour’s left has always claimed that it is not left-wing enough. With Reform threatening from the right many in the Conservative party say the party is not right-wing enough and needs to move more to the right if it is to regain power. That the British public want a genuine right-wing party just as the Labour left has always said the British public want a genuine left-wing party. The Labour party activists are to the left of their MPs. The Conservative party members are to the right of their MPs which means a permanent internal war in both parties.
Starmer during the campaign produced no grand idea. His campaign hardly lit up the country. In fact, at times listening to him one felt you had to prod him to get a word out, certainly to get him to say something different. His campaign had a feel of a recital from a book he had been told to memorise and stick to very carefully. He has won with a lower share of vote than Labour got under Corbyn in 2015 winning 63 % of the seats with 34% of the vote. The reason for this is that the Labour party machine has worked out how to capitalise its vote. There is no point in getting a lot of votes in seats that Labour would win anyway. Much rather target the seats which Labour are not expected to win so that it could win those seats and this it has done very efficiently.
Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria arrive at Number 10 Downing Street upon his appointment. Picture by Rory Arnold/ No 10 Downing Street
He has to use the football term won “ugly.” This is when a football team wins a match but produces no spectacular moment. There is no magical football that can fascinate us, but it scores one decisive goal which is hardly memorable but good enough to win the match. In that sense it is very much how Starmer’s beloved Arsenal used to historically play, dour, unwatchable, making sure the opposition did not score, and then winning with a goal that was very drab which not even the supporters would recall with much pride. That changed when Arsene Wenger took over as manager and Arsenal did play delightful football and won. We shall have to see if Starmer in government does a Wenger.
What matters is to see is how deep Starner’s change of the Labour party has gone. Is it so deep that the party is happy with having power even if it does not make the fundamental changes many in the party have always campaigned for. The Labour victory is shallow in terms of its vote share, only 34%, its governance of the country in terms of the changes it makes could also be very shallow. However, if the change Starmer keeps talking about has also meant a fundamental change in the Labour mind-set, that the party activists accept that being in power does not mean you can bring radical change, then Starmer will have fundamentally changed the Labour party and we could see Labour becoming the natural governing party of this country.
(Mihir Bose is the author of Thank You Mr Crombie, Lessons in Guilt and Gratitude to the British. Published by Hurst.)
Apart from Rishi Sunak, 25 other Indian-origin MPs — including 20 from the Labour Party and five Conservatives — also emerged victorious on Friday, reports Asian Lite News
A record number of 26 Indian-origin MPs are set to enter the UK Parliament after Friday’s General Election results, marking a significant increase from 15, five years ago.
Conservative Party leader Rishi Sunak, the first Indian-origin person to have served as the UK Prime Minister, leads the pack after having secured victory from Richmond and Northallerton constituency in Yorkshire.
Apart from Sunak, 25 other Indian-origin MPs — including 20 from the Labour Party and five Conservatives — also emerged victorious on Friday.
Priti Patel
Priti Patel, Conservative MP of Gujarati descent, won from Witham, Essex. Patel, who has served in various capacities, including Secretary of State for International Development, has been representing the constituency since 2010.
Gagan Mohindra, a prominent politician from a Punjabi Hindu background, secured his seat in South West Hertfordshire. Mohindra has been a Conservative MP since 2019, following his initial election as a Parish Councillor in 2004.
Labour Party leader Seema Malhotra retained her Feltham and Heston constituency for a fourth term since 2011. Malhotra has held several shadow ministerial roles, including Shadow Minister for Skills and Further Education.
Lisa Nandy
Valerie Vaz, Labour leader of Goan origin, won the Walsall and Bloxwich constituency for the fifth time. Vaz, who has been an MP since 2010, has served as the Shadow Leader of the House of Commons.
Lisa Nandy retained her seat in Wigan, making her the constituency’s first female MP and one of the first Asian female MPs since 2010. She has served as the Shadow Cabinet Minister for International Development.
Nadia Whittome, who made history in 2019 as the UK’s youngest MP at the age of 23, was re-elected from Nottingham East.
Preet Kaur Gill, the UK’s first female Sikh MP, defeated Conservative Ashvir Sangha in Birmingham, a seat she has held since 2017. Gill has served as the Shadow Minister for Primary Care and Public Health.
Labour Party’s Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi retained his Slough constituency, although with a reduced victory margin.
Shivani Raja, MP from Leicester East
Conservative leader Shivani Raja won the Leicester East constituency, where she was fielded against another Indian-origin Labour candidate, Rajesh Agrawal.
44-year-old Conservative MP Suella Braverman, who was embroiled in controversies and dismissed by the party for her statements, won from the Fareham and Waterlooville constituency for the fourth consecutive time.
Additionally, other Indian-origin Labour MPs to be elected to the UK’s House of Parliament include Navendu Mishra, Jas Athwal, Baggy Shanker, Satvir Kaur, Harpreet Uppal, Warinder Juss, Gurinder Josan, Kanishka Narayan, Sonia Kumar, Sureena Brackenbridge, Kirith Entwistle, Jeevun Sandher, Sojan Joseph and Murina Wilson.
The event also befittingly marks the South Asian Heritage Month celebrations in the U.K., a report by Asian Lite News
Aadya Pujya organised by Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence at The Bhavan, London becomes the first dance performance ever on Ganesha Avatara Stotra from Mudgala Purana. The event was part of promoting Sanskrit and Indian Culture in collaboration with the Central Sanskrit University, New Delhi.
The event also befittingly marks the South Asian Heritage Month celebrations in the U.K., as Sanskrit and classical dances bear the history and heritage of millennia
Ganesha Avataras
The captivating Music and Dance showcase included presentation by thirty-eight young and professional artists to a hall full of enthralled audience.
Traditional lighting of the lamp by Dr MN Nandakumara, Dr Rishi Handa, Tejendra Sharma, Cllr Karthik Bonkur and Cllr Sharad Jha was followed by Veena recital by renowned artist Pramod Rudrapatna. He was accompanied on Mrudangam by Satheesh Gummadavelly. Dances by Shayaree Priya Meghe from India, Shreya Khare and Kritika Vulchi’s Ganapati were impressive.
Pramod Rudrapatna on Veena, Satheesh G on Mrudangam
The sublime finale piece of eight forms of Ganesha was performed in Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Mohiniattam, Kuchipudi, Kavadi dance styles and noteworthily included Kalaripayattu martial art movements. Performed by Anvi Prabhu, Hrishikesh Kizhikkiyil, Lakshmi Pillai, Manju Sunil, Monidipa Seal, Ragasudha Vinjamuri, Sanvika Kommineni and Sree Lalitha Kotla, the stories of demons such as Matsarasura, Ahamkarasura, Krodhasura, Madasura, Lobhasura, etc. conquered and subdued by Ganesha in his various Avataras of Vakratunda, Dhumravarna, Lambodara, Vighnaraja, Mahodara were profound as they focused not only on spiritual wisdom, but also on how challenges can be overcome through resilience, realisation and moral conduct.
Invocation by Sanskruti Students
Adithi Mote, Ahana Hegde, Ananya, Anuja Tirumalasetti, Ayati Yuvaraj, Devanshi Uppula, Diya Viswanath, Diya Shanmugam, Meera Shaji, Sanvitha Gunda, Sai Samruddhi Vuthpala, Shravani Sivashankar, Sucheta Mangalagiri, Sweccha Manikireddy, Vanamala Acha, Vinmai Gopathi, and Yoshitha Chamarthi, Deekshaga Saravanan, Janani Rajesh, Jananyasri Karthik, Madhusri Prasanna, Sanvi Kumar, and Sanvi Pavan have presented invocations to Ganesha. Music was composed and sung by Phani Narayana.
Attendees have responded enormously to the content of the event, anchored by Radhika Joshi and Sushil Rapatwar. The evening concluded with food from Shreeya’s Restaurant, coordinated by Harinath Lingala and Renu Gidoomal.
Invocation to Ganesha by Sanskruti studentsDhumravarna conquers Ahamkarasura Guests of Honour at Aadya Pujya eventManju, Anvi and Monidipa Sanvika, Lakshmi, Sree LalithaHrishikesh KizhikkiyilShreya and KritikaShayeeree MegheGanesha AnjaliAnchoring by Radhika JoshiVote of ThanksRagasudha as Vakratunda
The Labour Party is on course to win more than 450 seats and the biggest majority of any post-war government predicts poll, reports Asian Lite News
The Labour Party is on course for a 256-seat majority at the general election while the Tories are heading for their worst-ever defeat, according to a new poll.
In its first MRP model of the 2024 campaign, Ipsos estimated Sir Keir Starmer’s party could win 453 seats and the Conservatives 115.
If correct, that would hand Labour a historic majority of 256, the biggest of any post-war government, while plunging the number of Tory MPs to record lows.
It would also mean senior Conservative figures such as Grant Shapps, Penny Mordaunt, Gillian Keegan, Johnny Mercer and Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg losing their seats.
While Labour have consistently enjoyed a 20-point lead in the polls, the Ipsos survey is the highest projection yet of what their majority could look like.
The poll also predicts the Lib Dems could win 38 seats, the Scottish National Party 15, three for the Green Party and three for Reform UK.
According to the projection, Nigel Farage is on track to overturn a huge Tory majority to win in Clacton while former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, standing as an independent, is predicted to lose to his old party in Islington North.
The poll is likely to cement fears within the Conservative party of an extinction-level event.
Despite promises of further tax cuts in his manifesto, Rishi Sunak has failed to shift the dial in a campaign marred by political gaffes – notably his early exit from a D-day event.
Repeated forecasts of a Labour landslide have prompted gloom from some Tories, with the prime minister forced to insist on Monday that his party could still win the election after Mr Shapps, the Defence Secretary, conceded that defeat was likely.
In recent days, senior figures have taken to warning voters about the risk of a Labour “supermajority” in a bid to convince undecided voters to stick with them.
The Ipsos projection predicts a huge majority for Labour even when factoring in more than 100 seats which are “too close to call”.
The model finds 117 seats are on a knife edge as they have a winning margin of less than five percentage points. This underlines the extent to which the number of undecided voters could change the outcome for the Tories.
Kelly Beaver, chief executive of Ipsos UK and Ireland said: “Labour is increasing its 2019 vote share across the country, especially in Scotland and the North East, while the Conservatives are losing votes in all regions – especially in the East and South of England, and across the Midlands.
“What is perhaps most concerning for them are signs in the data that they are particularly losing vote share in the areas where they were strongest in 2019.”
The poll used the multilevel with poststratification (MRP) technique to model individual constituency results based on a survey of 19,689 British adults and took place between 7-12 June.
It is the second poll released this week to use the technique, following a Survation poll on Monday that estimated a similarly massive Labour majority.
Just like our brave service personnel, who have dedicated their lives to serving to the country, politics should be about service too.
If I am privileged enough to be elected as Prime Minister on Thursday, I promise to serve you and make working people better off. pic.twitter.com/XtHWHb4GUo
The Ipsos poll is the first MRP survey to be conducted entirely after Mr Farage announced he would be taking over as leader of Reform UK and making his eighth attempt to become an MP, this time in Clacton, Essex.
The poll suggests Farage is on course to win that seat, with his Reform UK party also picking up Lee Anderson’s Ashfield constituency and possibly one other seat with 12% of the national vote.
That puts the party level in terms of seats with the Greens, who Ipsos suggests could win in Bristol Central, North Herefordshire and Waveney Valley while losing their current seat in Brighton Pavilion to Labour.
The poll also sees the Liberal Democrats making gains in the South East and South West, increasing its number of seats to 38 and regaining its position as the third party in the Commons.
Meanwhile, Ipsos said the fate of the SNP was “still very much up in the air”, with the party running a close second to Labour in Scotland and expected to win around 15 seats, a significant reduction from the 48 seats it won in 2019.
Beaver said the poll was “just a snapshot of people’s current voting intentions” and there was “still time for things to change”.
She added: “But this data, in line with most of the evidence that we have seen both in the run-up to this election and since the campaign started, in terms of the mood of the nation and real election results in local elections and by-elections, suggests that the British political scene could be heading for yet another significant shift.”
If you are looking to experience the vibrant tapestry of Indian Flavours with a fresh, modern, stylish, fusion take, where every bite tells a story…then look no further! Pravaas in the plush South Kensington hood of London, by acclaimed Chef patron Shilpa Dandekar is a refreshing addition to the capital’s culinary landscape. Pravaas’s culinary journey began with a deep respect for the roots of Indian cuisine. Chef Shilpa draw inspiration from the diverse regional flavours and time-honoured recipes passed down through generations. It’s a celebration of the culinary heritage that makes Indian food a tapestry of tastes. A feature by columnist Riccha Grrover for Asian Lite International.
Every dish that leaves their kitchen and arrives on the table is evidently a labour of love. The chefs pour their expertise and passion into each creation, ensuring that it not only tastes exceptional but also carries the soulful essence of Indian culinary traditions. The are embracing traditional cooking techniques that have stood the test of time. The result is a harmonious fusion of tradition and innovation on the plate.
Just as the seasons change, so do their menus. They celebrate the bounty of each season, incorporating seasonal produce to enhance the freshness and authenticity of their dishes. It’s a nod to the age-old Indian tradition of cooking with the rhythms of nature.
Every single dish which comes out of Chef Shilpa’s kitchen seems to have been made with love, which is clear with every mouthful. To Shilpa, spices are so much more than just ingredients – they’re the beating heart of every dish, no matter which menu discerning diners plan to indulge. Enjoy this truly exclusive experience in the luxury of these private surroundings.
Chef Shilpa’s time time tested creations are now the signature dishes of PRAVAAS and include Wasabi Chicken Tikka, Venison Dalcha or Red Snapper and Palourde Moilee. Make sure you leave room for dessert because the rendition of Shahi Tukra is not one to miss. There is also an impressive menu of delicious signature cocktails to choose from and great wines are carefully selected to complement the food offerings.
A meal experience at Pravaas is an extraordinary one, with a side of impeccable service by professionally trained staff. The decor is charming as is the ambiance. The vibe is relaxing too, music is soothing and food which is not only well presented but also tastes great, with generous portion sizes. All in all Highly Recommended!
Looking for the perfect venue to host a private dinner? Look no further than Pravaas in South Kensington. With just 30 covers upstairs, the restaurant already boasts a suitable air of intimacy, but if you’re looking to push the boat out that bit further, head on downstairs to the private dining room.
Offering the ultimate fine dining experience, their private dining room seats 20 guests. The space offers an intimate, exceptional dining experience – perfect for meetings, special occasions or private dinners.
The private dining room bursts with character. While ceramist Colin Johnson’s interactive Moonflower installation cleverly plays with both light and form, the large chef’s window really steals the show, giving diners unprecedented access to head chef Shilpa Dandekar’s kitchen and the magic her team creates.
About Shilpa Dandekar: Chef Patron and owner of Pravaas, South Kensington
Taking years to meticulously hone her craft, Shilpa Dandekar has developed a reputation as one of London’s leading female chefs.
Her wealth of experience spans more than 4,500 miles, igniting with impressive beginnings learning her trade as a trainee chef with India’s famed Taj hotel group. A move from her home city of Mumbai to the UK in 2005 resulted in a discovering a new, previously unexplored talent for cooking modern British food. Various pubs shaped Shilpa’s modern British techniques and until she found herself revisiting her roots and embarking as a sous chef at London’s renowned Michelin-starred Indian restaurant Quilon.
While Shilpa’s time working for Chef Sriram Aylur taught her everything she needed to know about precision, it was through her next star chef employer, Raymond Blanc, that she developed her passion for the intricacies of European cooking that had been absent from her younger years. Quickly recognising her potential, Shilpa was appointed as Head Chef of the first Brasserie Blanc (near Bank) which she credits as a real starting point for her career.
As her exploration of the capital’s culinary scene continued, Shilpa found herself increasingly mystified by the lack of creativity on offer in contemporary Indian dining. She wanted to finally marry her two culinary loves together – the pairing of (ancient) traditional Indian dishes with more modern flavours and techniques found across dishes in Europe. In 2014, Shilpa took the plunge and started her own business with husband Faheem Vanoo. First came a successful takeaway and home delivery unit in South West London before launching her first bricks and mortar restaurant PURE INDIAN COOKING in Fulham.
Now, 10 years on, Pravaas in South Kensington is the realisation of all Shilpa and her family wanted to achieve. A destination shaped by years of expertise. Somewhere that her unyielding passion for the culinary arts and her insatiable desire to explore various kitchen styles allow her to create some truly exceptional dishes. Remaining steadfast to the essence of authentic fine Indian cuisine, Shilpa and her team extend a warm invitation for you to embark on a new culinary venture, where the flavours resonate with the very heart of India.
