Gulf Times

The Indian community in Qatar marked the 80th Independence Day of their country with gaiety and splendour yesterday.The chargé d’affaires at Indian embassy, Sandeep Kumar, hoisted the Indian flag at an official ceremony at the Indian Cultural Centre in the morning.A large number of community members as well as officials of various organisations under the embassy were present on the occasion.The ceremony began with the singing of the national song *Vande Mataram.The flag hoisting was accompanied by the rendering of the national anthem.At the formal function, Kumar paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation.Addressing the gathering, the official read out excerpts from the speech delivered on the occasion of the Independence Day by Indian President Droupadi Murmu.“The constitution framed by the people of India rests on the foundation of people’s participation,” Kumar read. “The spirit of public participation has always been inherent in the people of our country which is the cradle of democracy.”“With renewed vigour, our fellow citizens are promoting the same tradition of people’s participation,” he continued. “National campaigns are being implemented through active participation of the people. This is an inspiring achievement of our democracy.”“Equality of status and of opportunity, along with the dignity of the individual, are among the cherished ideals of our constitution,” President Marmu had said in her address. “Today, people from ordinary backgrounds are making extraordinary contributions in many fields. This strengthens my belief that in today’s Bharat, everyone can dream big and also realise such dreams.”In his address, Kumar underscored the deepening of diplomatic ties between India and Qatar and highlighted that the recent high-level visits and exchanges between the two countries reaffirmed the close political understanding and commitment to further strengthening of the multi-faceted partnership.He also noted 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 (AI), space, semiconductors and other emerging technologies.He also noted that the Indian embassy is committed to the welfare of its citizens in Qatar and is providing every assistance to the community members.“Now, despite the increase in the number of people applying for new passports, we are able to issue new passports within five days,” Kumar said. “We have also supported a number of people during many emergency situations with the assistance of various organisations.”He also expressed gratitude to His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani 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, the official also commended the various Indian community organisations for their unwavering support in advancing community welfare and progress.During the ceremony a number of cultural and musical programmes were presented showcasing the unity and diversity of India.The celebrations featured patriotic songs and cultural performances presented by members of the Indian community and schoolchildren.