By James Amoh Junior
Accra, Jan. 26, GNA – The High Commission of India in Accra has commemorated the Country’s 74th Republic Day with a call on Indian residents in Ghana to recommit to the country’s growth.
Marked on the theme: “The People’s participation”, the celebration, held at the residence of the Indian High Commissioner, Mr Sugandh Rajaram, was characterised by cultural performances from Indian pupils resident in Ghana.
The pupils, clad in traditional Indian apparel and other adornments, took turns to either put up stunning performances on the diversity of India or serenade the members of the Indian community in Ghana and the diplomatic corps, who turned up for the celebration, with solos.
The cultural performances interspersed with patriotic songs and poems were preceded by a flag-hoisting ceremony by the High Commissioner.
Mr Rajaram, who spoke in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said the Indians had over the decades driven the realisation of values, ideals, and principles of the Republic.
He said the whole responsibility of development rested with the people and that the theme of the celebration further reignited their contributions to the development of India in the last seven decades.
The outgoing High Commissioner expressed hope that in the next 25 years when India would mark its centenary in 2047, the dreams of the country’s forebears would be realised with its economy booming with a functioning democracy.
India, said to be the fifth largest economy in the world now, he said, the country could become the second largest economy globally with 26 trillion dollars of Gross Domestic Product by 2047.
Mr Rajaram said India would likely go beyond the projection especially with the global dynamics of development in the world, adding that such prospects were even greater for its friends and partners in the global south.
He said the Republic Day celebration was also the commemoration of India’s successes and strides made over the years, reiterating that a lot needed to be done to realise the dreams of the freedom fighters and their struggles against colonialism.
That spirit, the High Commissioner said, continued to exist amongst the Republic of Ghana and India and that the true essence of bilateralism would be better realised for the progress, growth, and prosperity of the countries in the global south if there was a strengthened collaboration.
He said in the last three years of his tenure as High Commissioner, the bilateral relation between India and Ghana had been further strengthened, explaining that, despite the odds, he was satisfied with the accomplishment over the years.
“This year, India is the President of the G20 nations, a global platform which ensures that countries work together for growth and prosperity,” he said and assured that India would enhance its efforts to bring the agenda and concerns of the global south in the discourses of the G20.
The High Commissioner presented the 2023 Indian Community Senior Personality Award to Mrs Surinder Cheema for her outstanding social work in Ghana.
In 2021, Mr Gopal Vasu and Mr Ram Mohinani received similar awards from the High Commission.
GNA