The British Deputy High Commission in Chennai organised a reception on May 6 to mark the coronation of King Charles III in London.
According to a press release, actor and politician Kamal Haasan was the Chief Guest at the event held at Cottingley in the Deputy High Commission’s premises in Nungambakkam. British Deputy High Commissioner for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Oliver Ballhatchet MBE in his welcome speech reflected on a modern, diverse, multi-faith United Kingdom and promoted the themes of youth, community, diversity and sustainability.
The event particularly saw attendees from several global and local charities anchored by the UK’s Street Child United, who are organising the Street Child Cricket World Cup in Chennai in September 2023. Mr. Kamal Haasan shared his experiences of hosting the Queen Elizabeth II on the set of his 1997 film Marudhanayagam and his visit to the Buckingham Palace in 2017 and the role of sports and arts to unite people, especially the youth to build an inclusive and a sustainable future.
The event was attended by over 150 guests, including the Prince of Arcot, former West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi and former National Security Advisor M.K Narayanan, MSSRF Chairperson Sowmya Swaminathan plus heads of missions from other diplomatic missions in the city. A band from AR. Rahman’s KM Conservatory set the celebratory atmosphere for the evening, the release said.