Reception marks India’s 70th Independence anniversary |17 August 2017
To mark the 70th anniversary of India’s Independence Day, a reception was organised at the Kempinski Seychelles Resort at Baie Lazare on Tuesday evening.
The event was hosted by the Indian high commission in Seychelles, which earlier during the day had organised a flag raising ceremony at India House at Petit Barbarons as part of the commemoration.
India gained its independence from the United Kingdom on August 15, 1947.
Present at the reception on Tuesday were the high commissioner of India to Seychelles, Dr Ausaf Sayeed, Vice-President Vincent Meriton; secretary of state in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Barry Faure; Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Pillay; leader of government business in the National Assembly, Charles Decommarmond; leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Wavel Ramkalawan; members of the diplomatic corps; other members of the National Assembly, Indian diaspora and friends of India in Seychelles.
Toasts to the longstanding friendship and bilateral relations between both governments, countries and peoples were raised by Ambassador Faure and HC Sayeed.
“As India completes 70 years of freedom as a nation, we recall with a deep sense of gratitude the supreme sacrifices made by our freedom fighters, mainly soldiers, as well as citizens both men and women, rich and poor from different parts of the country representing every religious denominations who had shed their sweat and blood in the long struggle against the colonial past so that we can reap the air of freedom which we cherish so much,” said Dr Sayeed in his evening address.
He said India carries on its back deep-rooted history that goes back nearly 6000 years in time and a rich civilisation that bolsters diversity in every aspects of life.
He also cited many of India’s greatest feat and achievements like the country being multi-cultural, multi-lingual with a multi-religious society that lives in peaceful co-existence, brotherhood, inclusivity which is India’s unity in diversity; its high growing gross domestic products offering a world of economic potentials.
On the bilateral cooperation, Dr Sayeed said India’s relations with Seychelles date back before Seychelles gained its independence.
“Although both countries are significantly disproportionate in terms of size and population, both uphold the same core values of democracy and share the same geostrategic region of the Indian Ocean,” he said.
Dr Sayeed also said India would be delighted in looking at enhancing bilateral cooperation with Seychelles in the field of agriculture, health care, education including vocational training, renewable energy, Blue economy, fishing and fish processing, aquaculture, ICT, science and technology, entrepreneurship development and promotion of the SME sector.
In his address Mr Faure said 70 years ago the people of India became guardian of its destiny and in the subsequent years following its independence, India managed to position itself as a strong power in the region and in the world.
“I would like to congratulate India for 70 years of remarkable growth and progress at improving the lives and well-being of its people,” he said while commending India’s developmental journey as being exemplary and from which Seychelles stand to learn many valuable lessons and realise our developmental aspirations.
He mentioned the various fields from which our country has benefitted from India like in our public transport system, improve our maritime surveillance and in our medical care treatment, training programmes, as well as contributing immensely in the socio-economic development of Seychelles.
Seychelles and India, he said, will continue to explore new avenues of cooperation and hope to continue to working together to strengthen the friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
The evening ended with the cutting of the commemorative cake by Mr Meriton, Mr Faure, Dr Sayeed and wife, followed by dance performances by young Indian nationals and buffet.
