Dubai: Indian community in Dubai took pride in what they called “the biggest-ever Indian Republic Day celebrations in the UAE” due to the visit of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to New Delhi.
Community members said the celebrations literally reached sky-high when Burj Khalifa was lit up in Indian flag’s colours to mark the day on Wednesday.
Kicking off the celebrations on Thursday morning, Consul-General of India in Dubai Anurag Bhushan hoisted the Indian flag and read out excerpts from the President’s Address to the Nation at the Indian Consulate in the presence of some 800 community members.
Later, he hoisted the tricolour once again at the grounds of The Indian High School where thousands of students, teachers, parents and community members attended the celebrations.
Lauding the parade and colourful cultural performances by around 4,000 students of three branches of the school, Bhushan said he had never seen a grander celebration of Indian Republic Day in any school, anywhere he had been to. The outgoing diplomat urged the Indian children to be proud of their country, its greatness and culture as well as be united and walk tall as the proud ambassadors of a great, ancient civilisation.
Speaking to Gulf News, Bhushan said Indians celebrate the Republic Day “to pay respect to the founders of the country’s constitution that gives us the rights, freedom, privileges”.
“For all of us living in the UAE, it is even more special this year because of Shaikh Mohammad’s visit to India.” He said seeing the images of Shaikh Mohammad with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Burj Khalifa in national colours of India made all Indians proud.
“The Indian community has certainly contributed very constructively towards the national development of the UAE and I think all of this culminated in this visit. I am sure this visit is going to further enhance and deepen our relationship.”
Ashok Kumar, CEO of The Indian High Schools, said Indians were “proud to celebrate the Indian Republic Day both in the janambhoomi (motherland) and the karmabhoomi (the land where one works).”
“In janambhoomi, because our His Highness is visiting India, the UAE-India ties have been further cemented and taken to the next level. In Dubai, the Indian diaspora is celebrating his visit and the cementing of the ties … and we could witness those tangible expressions through the function at The Indian High School, the lighting of the tricolour at Burj Khalifa and celebrations of the people.”
The family of Anand Joshi, a credit manager from Mumbai, who took part in the celebrations wearing Indian flag-themed T-shirt, said it was the first time they witnessed India being celebrated in the UAE on such a big scale.
“We are really happy to be living in the UAE. It is a second home to us. This Republic Day is more important and special for us. It was really a proud moment to see the world’s tallest building draped in Indian tricolour on account of Shaikh Mohammad’s visit to India. We are looking forward to things that will help Indians in the UAE also,” said Joshi’s wife Amisha.
Vasu Shroff, chairman of Regal Group Holdings who happened to be the first honorary teacher at the school in 1960s, was honoured at the event for receiving the Pravasi Bhartiya Samman Award of the Indian government earlier this month. “This is a memorable moment in the history of India. All Indians in the UAE are proud of it,” he said about Shaikh Mohammad being the chief guest at the Indian Republic Day celebrations.
