New Delhi, Feb 22 (IANS): The UK government on Monday kicked off the 'India-UK Week of Sport' to celebrate the living bridge between both the nations on the occasion of 75th year of India's Independence.

From February 21-27, a series of on and off-the-field interactions will highlight the shared love of sport and the opportunities it can create for people across both nations.

The 'Week of Sport' will showcase the best of sports with events involving Indian and British personalities reflecting on their own journeys. It will include Olympics gold medallist Neeraj Chopra, cricketer Dinesh Karthik, para-badminton world champion Manasi Joshi, tennis legend Vijay Amritraj and India rugby captain Vahbiz Bharucha, among others.

Alex Ellis, British High Commissioner to India, said: "The UK and India share a love for sports. Cricket, football, tennis, badminton and hockey bring us together. The Week of Sport is a celebration of this bond and our living bridge.

"I look forward to more activities this year as India celebrates 75 years of Independence and the UK hosts the Commonwealth Games and the final match of last year's Test series between England and India."

This week's activity leads up to the 'India-UK Together 2022' initiative. The joint initiative, led by the British Council and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, will be launched later this year.

It will celebrate the unique connections that can help shape the future of both nations through a diverse programme of activities -- highlighting the strong cultural links between Britons and Indians -- across sport, education, arts, and much more.