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The High Commission of India in London hosted a special welcome reception for newly arrived Indian students who have begun their academic journey across universities in the United Kingdom.
The event saw a gathering of approximately 700-900 students, making it one of the largest student welcome events hosted by the High Commission this year. High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom Vikram Doraiswami addressed the gathering, welcoming the students to the UK and encouraging them to embrace academic excellence, cultural exchange, and community engagement. "I hope this will be an interesting and rewarding educational opportunity in this country. We are, of course, among the largest cohorts of students here in the UK. Of the foreign student community here, entirely in this country. The Indian student community is the largest for the third year running at 166,000 students across the UK. So, importantly, we bring not just diversity, which, of course, we do, in every form. India is the most diverse country on the planet, and we certainly add a bit of diversity when we come wherever we go," Vikram Doraiswami said. "We also add value. Our students are among the brightest and the best that we have. And your presence here is a reflection of all that you are capable of doing and the value that you bring to your studies, to your research or to whatever it is that you are doing here," he added. High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami also emphasised the economic value that the students add to the UK. "Your presence here supports businesses, the businesses that do everything from offering you your food to your cell phone contract to your IT and your Wi-Fi at your residences because of course what is our current generation without Wi-Fi and without that particular thing, your ability to be permanently connected with the world through that device that all of you are carrying in your pockets or in your hands," he said. He highlighted the importance of staying connected with the Indian community and assured the Mission's continued support for students throughout their stay. "It might not seem like a big deal at this point in time, but when you come, you're busy, you're settling in, and there's a lot that's happening around you. It's easy to forget that the experience, the social experience, is going to be a bit different. Those of your friends who you might have met at your university or your hometown who are already here might have given you a bit of a sense of it. But this is something you cannot learn from somebody else. It's something you will experience only yourself," he said. The High Commission reaffirmed its commitment to fostering a strong and supportive environment for Indian students abroad, encouraging them to participate in cultural programmes, student forums, and community initiatives organised throughout the year. (ANI)
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