Tribune News Network
Doha
The Embassy of India and the Indian community members in Qatar marked the 78th Independence Day of India with great fervour and enthusiasm in Doha on Thursday.
At a ceremony held at the Indian Cultural Centre (ICC), more than 350 Indians and friends of India in Qatar joined the celebrations.
The official ceremony began with Indian Ambassador HE Vipul hoisting the Tricolour, followed by singing of the national anthem and reading the Address to the Nation by President of India Droupadi Murmu on the eve of the Independence Day.
The Indian ambassador and community leaders paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion.
In his remarks, the ambassador highlighted the intense diplomatic exchanges between India and Qatar in recent months, including the visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Qatar in February 2024.
The envoy appreciated the excellent role played by the Indian community in the development of Qatar and nurturing India-Qatar ties. He thanked various Indian community organisations for their support and contributions towards well-being and growth of the community.
The envoy expressed his gratitude to the Amir His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the government of Qatar for their continued patronage and support to the Indian community in Qatar.
On the occasion, Indian community members and schoolchildren presented patriotic songs and cultural programmes. The event was simultaneously live-streamed on social media handles and on YouTube Channel of the embassy for those who joined the event virtually.
A number of other events celebrating India’s Independence Day have also been held over the past week including the planting of trees on August 11 at the embassy, ICC and ICBF under the initiative of #Plant4Mother launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
