The Fourth of July, described by US consul general Melinda Pavek as a “time for barbecue and family celebrations”, may have quietly gone by in the shadow of the pandemic. But the rescheduled National Day reception on November 1 brought no less cheer to the gathering at JW Marriott.Pavek referred to the “pre-eminent place” of the Calcutta consulate general in history, being “one of the oldest American consulates in the world and the oldest in India”. “In 1792, the first US president, George Washington, had appointed Benjamin Joy as the US consul to India in Calcutta. That appointment happened 230 years ago and we have been celebrating it this year,” she said.An exhibition of photographs showcased significant moments in Indo-American history in Calcutta.
![A display of significant moments of American connections with Calcutta captured in photographs](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667860059_new-project-2022-11-08t035738-486.jpg)
A display of significant moments of American connections with Calcutta captured in photographs
![Nayantara Palchoudhuri](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667859141_new-project-2022-11-08t034211-998.jpg)
Nayantara Palchoudhuri
![Japan consul general Koichi Nakagawa and his wife Yayoi check out the pictures](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667859271_new-project-2022-11-08t034317-660.jpg)
Japan consul general Koichi Nakagawa and his wife Yayoi check out the pictures
![](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667858671_new-project-2022-11-08t033433-571.jpg)
![HEADTURNERS: New York-based Mridul Pathak in a sleeveless jacket with stars and stripes; Satnam Singh Ahluwalia and Gunnu in matching outfi](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667860179_new-project-2022-11-08t034854-581.jpg)
HEADTURNERS: New York-based Mridul Pathak in a sleeveless jacket with stars and stripes; Satnam Singh Ahluwalia and Gunnu in matching outfi
![The eight pound cake that was cut on the occasion was a creation of JW Bakery. “It is a single origin chocolate cake with caramel. The photograph on it is a collage of three different pictures that we have designed ourselves,” said Bhaskar Chakraborty, the executive pastry chef, JW Marriott](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667859058_new-project-2022-11-08t034059-845.jpg)
The eight pound cake that was cut on the occasion was a creation of JW Bakery. “It is a single origin chocolate cake with caramel. The photograph on it is a collage of three different pictures that we have designed ourselves,” said Bhaskar Chakraborty, the executive pastry chef, JW Marriott
![The consul general cuts a cake along with Vivek Kumar and JW Marriott general manager Sumit Suri](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667859094_new-project-2022-11-08t034124-993.jpg)
The consul general cuts a cake along with Vivek Kumar and JW Marriott general manager Sumit Suri
![The 360° photo booth was a big hit. Guests walking in were asked to step up on a circular podium which rotated and around which a cellphone attached to an inclined stand also rotated. The result was a fun video clip.](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667858721_new-project-2022-11-08t033523-221.jpg)
The 360° photo booth was a big hit. Guests walking in were asked to step up on a circular podium which rotated and around which a cellphone attached to an inclined stand also rotated. The result was a fun video clip.
![Manjari and Sundeep Bhutoria](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667858961_new-project-2022-11-08t033858-343.jpg)
Manjari and Sundeep Bhutoria
![Rajat and Pinky Dalmia](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667859130_new-project-2022-11-08t034200-511.jpg)
Rajat and Pinky Dalmia
![Melinda Pavek with Thai consul general Acharapan Yavaprapas](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667858742_new-project-2022-11-08t033543-610.jpg)
Melinda Pavek with Thai consul general Acharapan Yavaprapas
![Rajive Kaul](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667858695_new-project-2022-11-08t033457-054.jpg)
Rajive Kaul
![Nitin Kothari](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667858651_new-project-2022-11-08t033339-903.jpg)
Nitin Kothari
![Seema Sapru, principal, The Heritage School](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667859027_new-project-2022-11-08t034026-500.jpg)
Seema Sapru, principal, The Heritage School
![(Right) Rupkatha Sarkar, principal, La Martiniere for Girls](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667859261_new-project-2022-11-08t034306-910.jpg)
(Right) Rupkatha Sarkar, principal, La Martiniere for Girls
![Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha (Retd)](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667861003_new-project-2022-11-08t033922-979.jpg)
Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha (Retd)
![(Right) Sanjay Budhia](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667859252_new-project-2022-11-08t034256-915.jpg)
(Right) Sanjay Budhia
![Nicolas Facino, director, Alliance Française du Bengale](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667861078_new-project-2022-11-08t034720-734.jpg)
Nicolas Facino, director, Alliance Française du Bengale
![Daniel Sim, deputy consul general, Australia](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667858913_new-project-2022-11-08t033820-401.jpg)
Daniel Sim, deputy consul general, Australia
![Abhishek Dutta](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667861089_new-project-2022-11-08t034752-192.jpg)
Abhishek Dutta
![Taj Bengal general manager Vijay Shrikent](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667858790_new-project-2022-11-08t033631-491.jpg)
Taj Bengal general manager Vijay Shrikent
![Imran Zaki](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667858936_new-project-2022-11-08t033833-640.jpg)
Imran Zaki
![Rita Bhimani](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667861200_new-project-2022-11-08t034806-212.jpg)
Rita Bhimani
![Grilled sausages, garlic and pepper, caramelised onion salad](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667859377_new-project-2022-11-08t034330-474.jpg)
Grilled sausages, garlic and pepper, caramelised onion salad
![New York Cheese Cake](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667861243_new-project-2022-11-08t034924-238.jpg)
New York Cheese Cake
![Lamb meat pie](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667861252_new-project-2022-11-08t034953-846.jpg)
Lamb meat pie
![Smoked chicken, whisky & pearl barley salad](https://assets.telegraphindia.com/telegraph/2022/Nov/1667859390_new-project-2022-11-08t034402-551.jpg)
Smoked chicken, whisky & pearl barley salad
Pictures: B. Halder