(Photos: Magic
Dust Photography)
The 71st Republic Day observance and celebrations
were carried out on January 26, 2020 with dignity and
pride by the Indian Consulate for the Southeastern
United States. The morning rituals began on time at
the Consular lawns with the Indian national anthem
and playing of dhol and tutari. The unfurled Indian flag
shed rose petals, a typical Indian welcome, covering
the green lawn with a tint of the rose red. After paying
homage at the Gandhi bust outside, Consul General Dr.
Kulkarni read a synopsis of Indian President Shri Ram
Nath Kovind’s speech. The gathering of about 150 people
dispersed after enjoying the refreshments catered
for the occasion.
The morning rituals on the Consular lawns featured the playing of dhol and tutari.
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Consul General Swati Kulkarni (towards center, in sari) along with dignitaries who graced the event. |
For the evening’s elegant reception, the Consulate
organized a packed affair for over 500 guests at the
City of Sandy Springs’s
Performing Arts Center.
Attendees, in their formal
finery, were treated to appetizers.
Present in the
packed hall was a huge
number of dignitaries,
including Consul Generals
Aishatu Aliyu Musa
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Vincent Hommeril
of France, Nadia Theodore of Canada, Young-jun Kim
of Korea, Jorge Lopez of Argentina, Shane Stephens of
Ireland, Vice Consulate General of Israel Alex Gandler,
GA Representative Karen Handel, GA Senator Sheikh
Rahman, GA State Senators Gloria Butler and Kay Kirkpatrick,
GA House Representatives Mike Glanton and
Angelika Kausche, Henry County Board Chair June
Wood, Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul, Sandy Springs
Police Chief Kenneth DeSimone, Padma Bhushan Dr.
Jag Sheth, Bollywood actor Ajinkya Deo, Hartsfield Jackson
International Airport director Elliot Paige, faculties
from various universities in Alabama and Georgia, Atlanta
Council on International Relations president Robert
Kennedy, and teams from the World Trade Center
Atlanta and TiE Atlanta.
The hall was decorated with banners of Incredible
India, and two large screens on either side of the
stage played video footage of the actual Republic Day
Parade at Rajpath, New Delhi, India. To view the screened
parade was simply breathtaking: the pageantry of
people, the gallantry of
the Armed Forces’ marchpast
saluting the President,
the colorful floats
representing each Indian
state displaying the respective
state’s uniqueness—
all was excellent to
watch.
Consul Asim Kumar,
Head of Chancery, was emcee. In his humble and humorous
manner, he recognized the star attendees
present and greeted the audience with a classic Indian
welcome. Besides giving excerpts from the President
Ram Nath Kovind’s address, the Consul General also
delivered spell binding statistics of India’s meteoric
growth and current dominance in the world, about
India’s rise in Indo-U.S. bilateral trade and education.
(Right) Students of Subhatra Sudarshan
(Bharathakala Naatya Academy)
A cultural bonanza of four dance performances
was presented by students of Subhatra Sudarshan
(Bharathakala Naatya Academy), Neeta Surange (NG’s
Dance Group) representing Maharashtra Mandal of Atlanta,
and NNKB, with elements of folk, Kathak, Bollywood,
etc. While some attendees spoke to performers
and others took photos with the Consul General, the
rest of the crowd bee-lined for the delicious spread
catered by Narendra Patel of Madras Chettinaad.
It was a superbly executed presentation by the Indian
Consulate in Atlanta.
(Left and below: students of Neeta Surange (NG’s Dance Group) representing Maharashtra Mandal of Atlanta.
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Students of NNKB, Nritya Natya Kala Bharti. |
Website Bonus Feature
President’s Speech: 71st Republic Day, 2020:
https://knowindia.gov.in/republic-day-celebration/president-speech.php
Photo Gallery:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/ConsulateGeneralofIndiaAtlantaUSA/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2906593729407867&ref=page_internal
Videos:
https://www.facebook.com/ConsulateGeneralofIndiaAtlantaUSA/
Bharathakala Naatya Academy:
https://www.facebook.com/104347566275400/videos/179603193330454/
| Remember, we have new Website Bonus Features that are not in the print magazine. Every time you see the W symbol in the print magazine, you can go to our website to see additional print or audiovisual material! |
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