Chargé d’Affaires Sandeep Kumar with members of the Indian community during the cake cutting ceremony. PIC: Rajan Vadakkemiriyil/The Peninsula.
Doha, Qatar: The 80th Independence Day of India was celebrated with great fervour and enthusiasm yesterday as the official ceremony was held at the Indian Cultural Centre (ICC), with over 500 members of the Indian diaspora and friends of India in attendance.
The ceremony began with the singing of the National Song, Vande Mataram. Thereafter, Chargé d’Affaires Sandeep Kumar hoisted the National Flag, followed by singing of the National Anthem and paying of floral tributes before Mahatma Gandhi. Chargé d’Affaires addressed the gathering and read excerpts from the Address to the Nation by Hon’ble President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu, delivered on the eve of Independence Day.
In his remarks on the occasion, Chargé d’Affaires underscored the deepening of diplomatic ties between India and Qatar and highlighted the recent high-level visits and exchanges between the two countries which reaffirmed the close political understanding and commitment to further strengthening of the multi-faceted partnership.
Chargé d’Affaires Sandeep Kumar highlighted India’s journey as a vibrant and resilient democracy, anchored in the values of its Constitution, and underscored Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
Among other initiatives and achievements, he also highlighted India’s strong economic growth, vibrant energy of India’s youth, progress in infrastructure and connectivity, empowerment of women and entrepreneurs and the country’s growing capabilities in artificial intelligence, space, semiconductors and other emerging technologies.
Chargé d’Affaires expressed gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar and the Government and people of Qatar for their continued support and patronage to the Indian community. Applauding the role and contributions of the Indian community, he also commended the various Indian community organisations for their unwavering support in advancing community welfare and progress.
The celebrations also featured patriotic songs and vibrant cultural performances presented by members of the Indian community and school children. To ensure broader participation, the event was live-streamed on the Embassy’s official Facebook and YouTube channels, allowing those unable to attend in-person to join virtually. Certificates were also distributed to the winners of the Painting Competition, organised by the Embassy on the theme of Viksit Bharat @2047, as well as to the top performers of the Bharat Ko Janiye (BKJ) Quiz.
