Indian Ambassador P Kumaran and his wife Ritu Kumaran cutting a cake along with children during the 70th Republic Day celebrations at the Indian Embassy yesterday. Pic: Abdul Basit / The Peninsula
The Ambassador of India to the State of Qatar, P Kumaran, hoisted National Flag to celebrate 70th Republic Day of India at the premises of the Embassy yesterday.
The event was attended by over 1,000 people, prominent businessmen, students of Indian schools, women and children from Indian expatriate community.
Students from Indian schools wearing beautiful traditional dresses sang national anthem and patriotic songs. The Ambassador cut a cake with children to mark the day.
“The first Republic Day of India was celebrated on January 26, 1950 about two months after adoption of the longest written constitution of the world,” the Ambassador said, while addressing the event.
He said that India borrowed good ideas from many other countries which had constitutions that inspired freedom struggles of the country.
“Today we are the largest democracy in the world. We have achievements that we have to be proud,” said the Ambassador. He also read the address by the President of India Ram Nath Kovind on the eve of 70th Republic Day.
“This is an occasion to commemorate the values of our democracy and Republic. This is an occasion to reaffirm our commitment to liberty, fraternity and equality across our society and among all our citizens. And above all, this is an occasion to celebrate India and the spirit of being Indian,” the President of India said in the written message read at the ceremony.
“Every Republic Day is precious and every day in the life of our Republic is precious. Yet this year is a little extra special. On October 2, we will mark the 150th birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, who led us — and who inspired oppressed societies in Asia, Africa and elsewhere — to freedom from colonial rule.”
“This year, the people of India — each one of us — have another responsibility: of voting in the general election and electing the 17th Lok Sabha. The ideas and idealism of our democracy will come into full force. Once more, as we do every five years, voters will deliver their verdict and write their destiny. This year’s election will be the first when voters born in the 21st century will contribute to electing a new Lok Sabha,” the President’s message said.
