Dubai: India’s 73rd Republic Day went global with huge celebrations organised at the Expo 2020 Dubai site here today. The India Pavilion at Expo witnessed a flag-hoisting ceremony by Dr Aman Puri, the Consul-General of India in Dubai, at 11am.
Several community members including workers from various companies in the UAE attended the celebrations and watched colourful cultural programmes representing different Indian states at the pavilion’s amphitheatre. Visitors to the Expo and members from other country pavilions also got a chance to witness the celebrations at the pavilion decorated for the occasion.
Indian expatriate Nidhin Nandanan, an architect, said he felt extremely proud to see the Republic Day celebrations being held at the global venue. “I can see so many foreigners attending the celebrations here. The entire decorations in ethnic style look so amazing. We really get those Indian vibes. I loved the cultural programmes by the students. They have showcased the India-UAE ties very well with the fusion performances.”
Shiva Shankar Yadav, a carpenter, who came along with his coworkers, said it was his first experience to attend Republic Day celebrations in the UAE. “It is also my first visit to Expo 2020 Dubai. I am very excited and proud to watch these celebrations. It is amazing to see the Expo also. We got a paid holiday and the company said we can visit other pavilions also throughout the day.”
Evening celebrations
A Republic Day special display will be held on the massive facade of the India Pavilion in the evening. Later, at 9.30pm, a special musical concert will be held at the Dubai Millennium Amphitheatre at the Expo. Shweta Subram, Indian-Canadian singer based in Dubai, the voice behind the viral hook ‘Jalebi Baby’, and Anupam Nair, the lead singer and founder of Dubai-based band ROOH, are set to enthrall Expo visitors. They will be joined by performers from DANS Studio.
Also at night, the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Indian Consulate in Dubai together will be jointly holding a Republic Day reception for invited guests from government entities and community groups at the India Pavilion.
Special moment
Speaking after unfurling the Indian tricolour at the Expo, Dr Puri said celebrating National Days in the UAE with one of the largest Indian diaspora overseas holds a special place. He said it is a special moment for both India and the UAE “as we mark 75 years of Independence and UAE celebrates the 50th National Day”.
He added: “The historical bond has grown from strength to strength and is today at the crossroads of exciting collaborations and partnerships. Under the visionary leadership of the UAE, we have witnessed exceptional growth of the UAE to emerge as a global powerhouse today, with a distinctive edge in driving innovations. The UAE leadership and the authorities have pulled off extraordinary success by bringing together 192 countries to explore new horizons [at Expo 2020 Dubai].”
He said the India Pavilion built on the theme ‘Opportunity, Openness and Growth’ marks India’s largest-ever participation at World Expos.
100 MoUs, dynamic engagements
Dr Puri said the India Pavilion has hosted dynamic engagements till date with participation of high level delegations from more than ten Indian states, Union Territories and eight sectors, showcasing their opportunities and potential areas of investments. “Over 100 MoUs [memorandum of understanding] and 800 B2B, G2B sessions were held. Significant headway was realised during the Jammu and Kashmir Week at the India Pavilion, that saw conclusion of several MoUs/LoIs on investments in Jammu and Kashmir, ranging from real estate, tourism, infrastructure and health-care sectors among others.”
Given the huge opportunities offered by the Indian economy, market, the talent and drive of the Indians and Emiratis, he said, the scope for beneficial collaboration is infinite.
Future collaborations
“We look forward to future collaborations with the UAE on raising successful start-ups and bringing forward sustainable solutions for the world. This effort has taken off with the India Innovation hub at the India Pavilion that will host about 500 start-ups over the course of the six months of the Expo. The 200 start-ups that have been featured till date have interacted with potential investors and global counterparts in the ‘Elevate’ pitching sessions and mentoring sessions. Collaboration with Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus and Dubai Silicon Oasis is also in the pipeline.”
He said at the core of these partnerships, remains the immense goodwill that both the countries share.
