Sir Philip Barton visited Bengaluru on Tuesday in the first of the series of virtual regional visits as the UK's new High Commissioner and called Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, business leaders, and startup community to pitch for new momentum in the already strong UK-Karnataka relationship.
During his virtual call, High Commissioner Barton got a 'real' taste of Bengaluru through a traditional Masala Dosa delivered to his residence in Delhi along with authentic south Indian filter coffee, which he relished over a chat with historian and commentator Ramachandra Guha. They discussed the unique UK-India "living bridge" across culture and cuisine, history and heritage, and sports and science.
Both Yeddyurappa and the British envoy restated their commitment to working together on the immediate challenges of Covid-19 and beyond.
Barton subsequently 'traveled' to Electronics City, where he met with a range of key business leaders to discuss deepening the UK-India tech partnership and opportunities for global investors in the UK.
Barton also met with a group of entrepreneurs, business founders and innovators, who were part of the first GoGlobal UK cohort to explore the dynamic UK market considered one of the best ecosystems for startups in the world. They had earlier attended a week-long boot-camp in London and Manchester in December 2019 that helped them bolster their business skills, build links with UK's thriving digital sector, and paved the way for future partnerships.
"I am delighted to make my first regional virtual visit to Bengaluru, the technology hub of India. My visit comes at a difficult time for everyone. So it is also a time when the excellent collaboration between the UK and Karnataka across technology and healthcare could not be important," Barton said.
"Making the most of those close links, and drawing on the great energy, innovation and entrepreneurship that Karnataka is famous for, will be central to ensuring we all recover from Covid-19 stronger than ever," he added.
( With inputs from ANI )