British Deputy High Commission Kolkata celebrates Commonwealth Day in Odisha

Puri (Odisha) [India], March 13 (ANI): The British Deputy High Commission Kolkata commemorated the Commonwealth Day 2022 with a friendly Beach Volleyball Match at the Blue Flag Beach, Puri in a joint collaboration with the Sports and Youth Services Department, Government of Odisha and Puri Administration on Sunday.
British Deputy High Commissioner to East and Northeast India, Nick Low kicked off the friendly Beach Volleyball Match with Samarth Verma, IAS, Collector and District Magistrate, Puri.
A joined team of 'UK in Kolkata' played against the 'Odisha Sports' in the match. The match was won by Odisha.
"I'm delighted to return to Odisha, where I'll renew old friendships and make new ones. Celebrating Commonwealth Day in Puri and in Bhubaneswar as we look forward to the XXII Commonwealth Games Birmingham 2022 will be special. Odisha's passion for sport shone through at the brilliant FIH Odisha Hockey Men's Junior World Cup and when Odisha hosted the Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton Relay in January," British Deputy High Commissioner to East and Northeast India, Nick Low said in a statement.
"The four nations of the United Kingdom share that passion. I want sport and sports industry to be at the heart of our UK-Odisha relationship," he added.
R Vineel Krishna, IAS, Commissioner cum Secretary, Sports & Youth Services Department, Government of Odisha said: "It is an honour for us and we are extremely delighted to partner with the British Deputy High Commission in Kolkata, once again, and celebrate the spirit of the Commonwealth Games."
Later after the match, Low went to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) cemetery in Puri to lay a wreath.
Commonwealth Day will be observed on March 14, 2022. The UK is currently Chair-in-Office of the Commonwealth, and the UK in India network will mark Commonwealth Day with a series of events across India including receptions and a model CHOGM for students.
The Commonwealth is a unique association of 54 equal member states, and 2.4 billion people spanning six continents, and accounting for a third of the World Trade Organisation, a quarter of the G20, and a fifth of all global trade. (ANI)