India’s 71st Independence Day celebrated in Sri Lanka

Wednesday, 16 August 2017 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The High Commission of India and the Indian expatriate community in Sri Lanka celebrated the 71st Independence Day of India yesterday at India House in Colombo.

At a flag-hoisting ceremony, Indian High Commissioner Taranjit Singh Sandhu unfurled the national flag and inspected a guard of honour presented by the BSF contingent. He read out excerpts from the Address to the Nation on the eve of Independence Day by Indian President Ram Nath Kovind.

A brief cultural program was also held during the function. Thereafter, the High Commissioner, in the presence of other officials of the High Commission, laid a wreath to honour the memory of fallen soldiers of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in a solemn ceremony at the IPKF memorial in Colombo.

As part of the special India@70 event to mark the celebrations of Indian Independence Day, a special musical program by Pandit Bickram Ghosh and other artistes will be organised at the BMICH in the evening.

Consulates General of India in Jaffna and Hambantota and the Assistant High Commission of India in Kandy also celebrated the 70th Independence Day by staging flag-hoisting ceremonies.

Pix by Lasantha Kumara