by Beverley Lyons

SCOTS Indian restauranteur Navdeep Basi will be paying tribute to his grandfather as he celebrates Indian independence at his Glasgow restaurants tomorrow.

Navdeep, owner of The Dhabba and Dakhin in Candleriggs, Merchant City, is celebrating Independence Day by giving out free Kingfisher beer and unveiling a menu change for customers in The Dhabba - a traditional North Indian restaurant. 

It's an important occasion for him as his grandfather played a very active role in Indian independence seventy years ago on August 15.

Navdeep, who will be raising a glass or two tomorrow with customers, said: "My grandfather Harkishan Singh Surjeet was one of many people who played a very active role in independence.

"He changed his surname from Basi to Surjeet (which means the immortal/ Victorius) whilst he went underground during the independence/ transitional era.

"He was put in solitary confinement for three months and had a four-year sentence before independence. 

"He started off in the Congress party and moved to the Communist party and was in politics for seven-and-a-half decades.

"He put up a staunch fight against British colonial rule and played a pioneering role in developing the peasant movement and the Communist Party in Punjab before emerging as a national leader of the Communist Party of India and the All India Kisan Sabha.

"Everyone in the family is very proud of him. He was friends with Nelson Mandela. 

"During the partition, he tirelessly worked for communal harmony in violence-torn Punjab. We will be celebrating with our customers and Kingfisher."