India celebrates Republic Day

The High Commission of India and the Indian expatriate community in Sri Lanka celebrated the 62nd Republic Day of India yesterday at India House in Colombo.

High Commissioner Ashok K. Kantha unfurled the National Flag, which was followed by a rendering of the Indian National Anthem. The High Commissioner inspected a Guard of Honour presented by the BSF contingent and read out excerpts from the Address to the Nation on the eve of Republic Day by the President of India, Mrs. Pratibha Devisingh Patil.

The High Commissioner also conveyed his greetings on this occasion to the citizens of Sri Lanka and noted the progress in implementation of the significant bilateral initiatives that had been agreed following the state visit to India in June 2010 of H.E. President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the subsequent visit to Sri Lanka of Honourable Minister of External Affairs, Shri S.M. Krishna, in November 2010.

A brief cultural programme organized by the Indian Cultural Centre followed. Its highlights were singing of patriotic songs and Kathak dance performances by the students of the Indian Cultural Centre. Subsequently, the High Commissioner of India and other officials of the High Commission paid their respects to the memory of fallen soldiers of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in a solemn ceremony at the IPKF memorial in Colombo.

On the occasion of the 62nd Republic Day of India, P.S.V Natyasnagam, a Kathakali dance troupe from Kottakal, Kerela presented a performance “Nalacharitam” at Ananda College auditorium on the evening of 25th January. The Kathakali troupe, sponsored by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR), is visiting Sri Lanka under the aegis of the Programme of Cultural Cooperation between India and Sri Lanka for 2010-2013. It will also perform at Galle, Matara, and Jaffna.