Special events were also organized at Kandy, Jaffna and Hambantota
By Mewati Sitaram
India’s 77th Independence Day was celebrated with great fervour in different parts of Sri Lanka on 15 August 2023. The main event in Colombo was held at ‘India House’, the official residence of the High Commissioner of India. High Commissioner His Excellency Gopal Baglay hoisted India’s National Flag and inspected the Guard of Honour. He also read excerpts of the address by Hon’ble President of India to the nation on the eve of the 77th Independence Day.
The members of the Indian community participated in the colourful event. On the special occasion, the High Commissioner administered the Panch Pran pledge, wherein all those present resolved to commit themselves to nation building and resolved to make India a developed nation by 2047.
Numerous cultural events added flavour to the celebrations. Sri Lanka Navy Band played melodious tunes, symbolic of valour and patriotism. Students of Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, the cultural arm of the High Commission, showcased two dance performances – a Bharatnatyam performance on the timeless bhajan ‘Vaishnava Janato’, and a fusion of Indian and Sri Lankan dance forms on a rendition of ‘Vande Matram’.
The Indian High Commissioner H.E. Gopal Baglay and officers from the Embassy also paid homage at the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) Memorial to the memory of the Indian soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice defending peace and unity of Sri Lanka.
Besides the Indian High Commission in Colombo, special events were organized by the Assistant High Commission in Kandy, Consulate General in Jaffna and Consulate General in Hambantota.
The Members of the Indian community enthusiastically celebrated this Independence Day by participating in the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign, as well as by recounting the stories of growing up in India and paying tributes to the motherland under the ‘Meri Maati Mera Desh’ campaign.
It may be noted that this year’s Independence Day celebration is a culmination of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ initiative, a global campaign to commemorate 75 years of a progressive and self-reliant India. Since 2022, India has embarked on a journey of 25 years of India’s transformative growth – ‘Amrit Kaal’ – to make India a developed nation by 2047.
Editor in Chief : Mewati SItaram
