Dubai: India will celebrate its 73rd Republic Day with the world at the Expo 2020 Dubai.
The India Pavilion and the Dubai Millennium Amphitheatre are the new venues where the Indian missions in the UAE will host the celebrations to mark the day India became a sovereign republic after its constitution came into effect on January 26, 1950.
While the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Indian Consulate in Dubai will hold flag-hoisting ceremonies, bigger celebrations will be held at the Expo venues.
Last year, the missions had live-streamed the 72nd Republic Day celebrations, which were held with only the officials and their families in attendance. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions and safety protocols in place, the missions had requested all Indian nationals to join the virtual coverage of the celebrations, which otherwise used to be attended by several community members clad in tricolour and holding the Indian flag.
Tribute to Netaji
Though the Republic Day this time falls on a Wednesday, the celebrations in the UAE will begin with an event on Sunday to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Indian freedom fighter ‘Netaji’ Subhas Chandra Bose, in line with the celebrations organised by the Indian government this time, according to the consulate.
A tribute show by the Emirates Bengal Club will be held from 7pm on Sunday at the India Pavilion Auditorium. The show will pay homage to the brave leader who tried to free India from British rule with the Indian National Army.
The Indian Ambassador to the UAE, Sunjay Sudhir, will hoist the tricolour at the embassy, Consul-General of India in Dubai, Dr Aman Puri, will do it at the consulate. Dr Puri will again unfurl the tricolour at the celebrations to be held at The Indian High School Dubai in Oud Metha, a major venue for Republic Day celebrations.
Expo events
“This time, we will also have a special flag-hoisting ceremony at the India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai,” Dr Puri told Gulf News. He said workers from different companies will also be invited to be part of the celebrations. The flag-hoisting ceremony will be followed by cultural performances.
A Republic Day special display will also be held on the massive facade of the pavilion. The embassy and the consulate will together hold a Republic Day reception for invited guests from government entities and community groups at night.
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Meanwhile, Indian-Canadian singer based in Dubai, Shweta Subram, the voice behind the viral hook Jalebi Baby, and Anupam Nair, the lead singer and founder of the Dubai-based band ROOH, are set to enthral Expo visitors at Dubai Millennium Amphitheatre from 9.30pm on Wednesday. They will be joined by performers from DANS Studio.
Continuing the celebrations, volunteers with Friends of India (FOI) will organise a blood donation camp, in association with the consulate on January 30.
