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Excellence is the new age patriotism for Indians

ABU DHABI/DUBAI — Indian expatriates in the UAE celebrated the 64th Independence Day of their home country with a renewed enthusiasm drawn from the calls of their national leaders for inclusive growth and adherence to the culture of conciliation and dialogue.

The festivities were muted according to the custom of the Ramadan, but the expatriate Indians here were excited that the messages delivered by the Indian President and Prime Minister on the occasion of Independence Day upheld the values of equity and tolerance which are at the core of the sacred tenets of Ramadan.

Indian Ambassador to the UAE, M.K. Lokesh, hoisted the national flag at the embassy office in Abu Dhabi to mark the beginning of the celebrations on Sunday.

The Ambassador then read out the ‘Address to the Nation’ delivered by Indian President Pratibha Patil on the eve of Independence Day. The President in her address had recalled that India was being ranked as the world’s fourth largest economy based on purchasing power parity. “But our task will be complete only when no one sleeps on a hungry stomach, when no one sleeps on footpath and when every child is in school,” she said.

Addressing hundreds of Indians assembled on the Consulate premises in Dubai, Consul General Sanjay Verma said, “The young Indian’s strive for excellence is the new age patriotism.”

“India has been called the engine of global growth, so show it through your work that you are an Indian,” he said, adding that the strength of the Indian community is the ability to portray the real scenario of the country and admit mistakes, “but our flaw lies in our critical nature”.

Expressing happiness over the President’s message, Mohan Jashanmal, Chairman of Indian Business & Professional Group, said ending hunger as well as providing houses, employment and education to everyone are crucial to propel India to further growth.

“The vision outlined for the future of India by the President resonates well with the messages being emphasised during the holy month of Ramadan. It is important that we rededicate ourselves to uphold these values of equity and tolerance on these great occasions of Ramadan and Independence,” said V P Shamsheer, the Managing Director of the Lifeline group of hospitals.

“India can achieve all those goals enlisted by the President only if corruption is ended. There is so much of wealth even in the rural areas of India now, that youngsters are reluctant to undertake job-hunting migration even from areas like my home state of Punjab. I’m quite happy that the President has spoken about these values at the Independence Day now,” said Avtar Singh, who has been in the UAE for the last 36 years and runs the Al Basrawi Decorations and Aluminium Company.

The students of the Abu Dhabi Indian School and Eduscan presented cultural programmes at the embassy as part of the Independence Day programmes.

Thomas Varghese M, President of the Indian Social and Cultural Centre (ISC) hoisted the Indian National Flag at the Independence Day programmes held at the Centre in Abu Dhabi. Chairman of the board of governors of the Abu Dhabi Indian School, B R Shetty hoisted the flag at the school.

For Dubai’s high school student Mihir Ashar, Independence Day is a day to renew his ties with the country. Though the student has decided to move to the USA for higher education to follow a career in engineering, he believes his efforts will contribute to the progress of his homeland. “The youth is the wealth of the nation,” he said.

Taking part in the Independence Day festivities is a family tradition that was initiated by Melvin Vaz’s father. Present at the consulate with his daughter, Vaz believes patriotism cannot be enforced.

“I tell them about the country and encourage them to participate in national and cultural events. Events like these certainly help strengthen the feeling of oneness with the country.”

For Kunal Muraya who hails from Gujarat, it was his 3 - year- old son who compelled him to attend the function.

“I was talking to my son who is in India and he started singing Jana Gana Mana... And that just brought back all those memories of when I was in hostel and would take part in all the festivities organised on August 15.”

ramavarman@khaleejtimes.com

afshan@khaleejtimes.com