The Indian community in Qatar celebrated the 75th anniversary of Independence on Monday with patriotic fervour.
Indian ambassador Dr Deepak Mittal paid floral tributes to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, and unfurled the Indian flag amid the rendering of the national anthem in the presence of a large gathering on the Indian Cultural Centre (ICC) premises.
Prominent community members, office-bearers of the apex bodies under the embassy as well as several invitees were present on the occasion.
Following the national anthem, Dr Mittal read excerpts from the message of Indian President Draupadi Murmu, who in her maiden speech as the president of India conveyed the greetings of the day to all Indians around the globe.
Indian ambassador Dr Deepak Mittal paid floral tributes to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, and unfurled the Indian flag amid the rendering of the national anthem in the presence of a large gathering on the Indian Cultural Centre (ICC) premises.
Prominent community members, office-bearers of the apex bodies under the embassy as well as several invitees were present on the occasion.
Following the national anthem, Dr Mittal read excerpts from the message of Indian President Draupadi Murmu, who in her maiden speech as the president of India conveyed the greetings of the day to all Indians around the globe.
“It is a cause of celebration not only for all of us but also for every advocate of democracy around the world. When India won independence, there were many international leaders and experts who were skeptical about the success of democratic form of government in India. They had their reasons to be doubtful. In those days, democracy was limited to economically advanced nations. India, after so many years of exploitation at the hands of foreign rulers, was marked by poverty and illiteracy. But we Indians proved the skeptics wrong. Democracy not only grew roots in this soil, it was enriched too,” Murmu said in her address.
The Indian president noted that for a nation, particularly an ancient one such as India, the passage of 75 years is merely a blink of an eye.
“But for us as individuals, it is a lifetime. Senior citizens among us have witnessed a dramatic change in their lifetime. They have seen how, after Independence, all the generations have toiled hard; how we met great challenges and how we have taken charge of our destiny. The lessons learnt in the process will prove useful as we move towards the next milestone in the journey of the nation – the Amrit Kaal, the 25 years to the celebration of the centenary of our independence,” she said.
“By the year 2047, we will have fully realised the dreams of our freedom fighters. We will have given a concrete shape to the vision of those who, led by Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, drafted the constitution. We are already on course to build an Atmanirbhar Bharat, an India that would have realised its true potential,” the president added.
Ambassador Dr Mittal highlighted the importance of celebrating 75the anniversary of Indian Independence and how the Indian community has positively reciprocated to the occasion. He also congratulated the Indian community for their hard work and involvement in the activities of the 75the anniversary of its Independence. “We have conducted more than 90 events under the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav initiative. The community leaders and various apex bodies actively involved in the programmes and in organising so many events and getting the participation of a large number of community members,” the envoy said.
During the event, winners of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav Quiz held in January were felicitated by the ambassador and medals in each of non-resident Indian and foreigner category were handed over. A cake was cut to celebrate the occasion.
The ceremony concluded with a number of cultural performances, including patriotic songs and dances presented by Indian organisations. ICC president P N Baburajan proposed the vote of thanks.
Meanwhile, Independence Day celebrations were also organised at Indian schools around Qatar.
