This 26th January 2022 marks the 73rd Anniversary of the Republic of India. Being celebrated under the sign of ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’, the flag raising ceremony took place at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture under observed protocols. It was the High Commissioner of India, H. E. Mrs K. Nandini Singla, who made the honours during the flag ceremony followed by the National Anthem of India ‘Jaga Gana Mana’. Then the reading out the message of Hon’ble Rashtrapati ji, presentation of awards to winners of various contests & a colourful cultural programme.
Due to the sanitary restrictions, only a few people were present physically at the ceremony but still many of the Indian Diasporas had the opportunity to attend the celebrations virtually. Members of the Indian Diplomacy and Army posted in Mauritius were also present.
After the flag ceremony, the celebrations continued inside the auditorium with a cultural show prepared by the students of the IGCIC. A welcome note was given by the Director of Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture, Shri Balwant Thakur. During her speech, the High Commissioner of India spoke about the special and strong bonds existing between Mauritius and India.
As for India, the 73rd Republic Day was celebrated with the iconic parade at Delhi’s Rajpath showcasing its military prowess and cultural pageantry. A flypast by 75 aircrafts and helicopters was the highlight of this year’s parade. This year’s celebrations are significant – it’s the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence, being observed as ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ across the country.
Strict Covid protocols were in place as only 5,000 people attended the celebrations at Rajpath. Only fully vaccinated adults and children above 15 who had received the first shot of vaccine were allowed. Due to the pandemic, there was no foreign contingent this year.
