London:
Jignesh Bhai was there, Kamles too and Sarita Ben must surely have been there. It could have been any Gujarati party in India. But it wasn't. This was a birthday celebration, in the British parliament, of India's western state of Gujarat, which was born 54 years ago, on May 1, 1960.
With stern-looking British politicians looking down from portraits, women in colourful sarees made their way into the Member's Dining room to express pride at the achievements of the Gujarati community here.
As I heard speech after speech, I could well have been cynical about this. So what? So many other communities celebrate all sorts of days in Parliament.
But this is indeed a superb success story. Gujaratis, many of who made their way here via Kenya and Uganda, are a huge part of the Asian community in the UK. They truly are the early settlers, and survivors.
Their individual stories are different, but the collective narrative is the same. Young men and women came to this country with empty pockets, some faced racism that is unimaginable in Britain today while others had to contend with loss and longing after being uprooted from their homeland.
There was no Skype then, no email and infrequent travel and for many, India was just a memory that they reconstructed at home. They held a snapshot of the country they had left in their hearts. And they survived.
In this group of people, almost every one has a rags to at least middle class story. Some are very moving.
Imagine being kicked out of Uganda and disembarking from a plane in London only to be welcomed by protestors holding placards that read: "Go home! You're not welcome here."
A Ugandan businessman of Gujarati origin once told me that despite having trained as an aeronautical engineer - he worked in a grocery store all his life. Of course, along the way, like many other Asians, he bought a shop himself and now drives a BMW - but those early days must have been hard. For many becoming an entrepreneur wasn't a choice but a necessity. On the way they set up some really successful businesses.
Priti Patel, a British Asian MP and host of the birthday celebration told a room packed with Gujaratis, "Tonight is about celebrating the people in this room. And I think we should take a moment to reflect on how far we've come."
In the success stories in that room, were also answers to concerns over immigration in many countries. Most have not taken anybody's jobs, but have created new ones.
"Business is in our blood. The Punjabis can grow potatoes in Alaska but we can help export the potatoes for a profit," a young British Gujarati once told me.
The well-traveled Indian High Commissioner to the UK Mr Ranjan Mathai recounted an experience from his posting in a foreign country. "I was wading into a first-time meeting with the Indians there and I said, 'what should I say (to them)?' And my friend, who is an old timer, said - you should say kemcho and you will be welcomed."
Lots of speakers on Thursday talked about famous Gujaratis Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel; they could well have talked about the Mehtas, Shahs and Patels who now call Britain their home.
There was something missing though. What Gujarat foundation day can be complete without dhokla, fafda or some good thepla? Maybe next time.
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