Seychelles to launch first India Day in October |02 July 2013

The three-day event to take place between October 4 and 6 is to be celebrated annually.
Minister St Ange said the aim is to celebrate our connection with the Asian country, give Seychellois and visitors a taste of India in Seychelles as well as encourage more business and tourism exchanges between the two countries.

“To celebrate our French connection there is La Fete de Francophonie, the Fete Afrique mark our African links while on Commonwealth Day we celebrate our British heritage and after that there is the Creole festival which bring our people together to celebrate our culture. But before we got to being who we are today we should not forget that we also had influences from India and China,” said Minister St Ange,  adding that this is the idea of having an India Day.

Minister St Ange said his ministry aims to have a “panorama of what we are well depicted in the list of events that we celebrate”.

A programme of activities to take place over the three days has already been drawn and is being finalised before being published in the coming weeks.

The activities which are expected to take place around Victoria will include the screening of Indian films shot in Seychelles, an exhibition showcasing Indian culture, the history of the Indian community in Seychelles, open air shows, an Indian food fair, visits by Indian personalities to name but a few.

The local Indian community is expected to play an important role in showcasing their activities here.
Minister St Ange said his ministry has received the full support of the Indian high commission and the Chinese ambassador and Indian businesses like Airtel which are willing to support such an event in Seychelles.

For his part Mr Darlong said the event will promote people to people contact and cultural exchanges between the two countries which are expected to increase in the future both in the tourism and economic sectors.

“We are confident that such an event will promote and encourage more tourism and business between India and Seychelles and also the region,” added Mr Darlong.

With the announcement on Sunday that SriLankan Airline will soon be operating on the Seychelles route, Minister St Ange said this is timely as the India Day celebrations in October is expected to  coincide with the arrival of the  first flight of the SriLankan Airline here thus opening new air links to India as well.