For the love of cricket: British Dy HC celebration of Cricket Living Bridge strengthens UK-India link

Sports have an exceptional ability to unite people across different genders, cultures, age groups, and backgrounds, and this spirit was vividly on display at the reception held by the British Deputy High Commission in Bengaluru. The event took place on Wednesday, just ahead of the England-Sri Lanka World Cup match scheduled for Thursday.

The reception attracted a distinguished gathering of cricket enthusiasts and prominent figures in Bengaluru, including notable cricketers like Venkatesh Prasad, Dodda Ganesha, and Sadanand Vishwanath, as well as senior officials from the Karnataka State Cricket Association. Other attendees included well-known figures such as restaurateur Prem Koshy, columnists Sobha Narayan and Suresh Menon, lawyers Arvind Kamath and Siddharth Raja, fashion designer Manoviraj Khosla, and Chevening scholars. The event also served as a celebration of British cuisine, with Fish & Chips and Shepherd's Pie making their appearance on the menu.

British Deputy High Commissioner Chandru Iyer expressed the sentiment that "SPORT is GREAT!" He emphasized the profound and multifaceted relationship between India and the UK, describing it as a unique Living Bridge that connects the two nations and their people through culture, education, food, and, of course, sport. Iyer noted the fervor of UK sports fans and expressed hope for England's success in the World Cup, pointing out that England currently holds the title of World Cup champions. He further engaged the audience with a spontaneous cricket quiz on World Cup trivia, and the winners received special plaques commemorating the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

Later in the evening, he invited former Indian cricketer Venkatesh Prasad to share his experiences, particularly regarding the quarterfinal match against Pakistan in 1996, which took place in Bengaluru.

The event also featured the presence of members of the Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI), with Iyer and the audience celebrating the achievements of CABI Chairman Dr. Mahantesh K. and his team members, Prakash J (silver medallist in the Indian Men's Cricket Team for the Blind) and M Gangavva H (gold medallist in the Indian Women's Cricket Team for the Blind at the IBSA World Games Birmingham 2023).

Iyer noted that the Barmy Army, a passionate group of British cricket fans, estimated that around 250-300 British nationals would travel from the UK for the event, in addition to several hundred British nationals from Singapore and the Gulf. Typically, there are around 50,000 British nationals residing in India at any given time.

Since the successful execution of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games, the UK has attracted and hosted over 100 major sporting events, with plans to host an additional 97 major sporting events across 44 locations in the UK over the next decade. Numerous UK companies contribute to the infrastructure and equipment required for major sporting events, with Gray-Nicholls standing out as one of the world's largest suppliers of cricket bats, manufactured in the UK. In 2020, the sports sector contributed an estimated £12.3 billion to the GVA, with the sector providing employment to approximately 0.5 million individuals. Exports of sports-related goods and services were estimated at £5.2 billion in 2020.