Vande Mataram resonates across world during Suryapath Tiranga’s global relay

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Athens, Aug 15 (IANS) India’s Independence Day celebrations in Greece were marked by renowned Greek vocalist Konstantinos Kalaitzis who performed a special rendition of Vande Mataram on Saturday.

“Celebrating the 80th Independence Day of India – India80. On this momentous occasion, renowned Greek vocalist Mr. Konstantinos Kalaitzis performed a special rendition of “Vande Mataram” serving as a profound gesture of goodwill and enduring friendship towards the nation and people of India,” the Indian Embassy in Greece stated on X.

The Consulate General of India in Durban celebrated Independence Day at India House with vibrant cultural performances and ‘Threads of Bharat’ exhibition showcasing India’s diverse and popular textile heritage through sarees celebrating the craftsmanship and traditions woven into cultural fabric.

Consulate General Niteen Yeola hoisted the Tricolour and read out excerpts from President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the nation.

The event was attended by Thami Ntuli, Premier of KwaZulu-Natal and H.W. Cyril Xaba, Mayor of eThekwini.

The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia organised a celebration where Ambassador Vipul addressed the Indian community after reading out the President Murmu’s address to the nation.

“The Embassy organised a spirited cultural programme, featuring captivating performances – semi-classical dance on Vande Mataram, group-song by school students, patriotic poetry, and a moving group-dance tribute to the historic Dandi Salt March. This year’s celebrations held special significance as we marked 150 years of our National Song Vande Mataram,” the Embassy stated on X.

In Spain, the Tricolour was hoisted at the Indian Embassy.

“The Tiranga rises from our shores at the break of dawn. Over to Embassy of India, Morocco to continue this historic journey of Suryapath Tiranga. Carry the Indian Tricolour from one sunrise to the next, and inspire Indians to spread the fervour of Har Ghar Tiranga!,” the Embassy stated, handing over the Suryapath Tiranga journey to the Embassy in Morocco.

The Embassy in Morocco also conducted the flag hoisting and handed over the journey to the Indian Embassy in Iceland.

From the Indian Embassy in Iceland, the journey was handed over to the Indian Embassy in Brazil, later to the Embassy in Suriname, to the High Commission in Guyana, Embassy of India in Argentina, to the High Commission of India in Trinidad and Tobago, and later to the Dominic Republlic.

The Embassy in Dominic Republic passed on the Suryapath Tiranga journey to the Consulate General of India in New York, which was later proceeded to the Embassy in Colombia, High Commission of India in Ottawa, High Commission of India in Kingston, Jamaica, Embassy of India, Washington, DC, Embassy in Lima (Peru), Consulate General of India in Toronto, Canada, Embassy in Mexico, Consulate General of India in San Francisco.

Several Embassies also presented certificates to the top scorers of the Bharat Ko Janiye Quiz (I-Day Special Edition) organised by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

–IANS

ksk/as

Related Posts

Ukrainian drone attacks hit helium plant in Russia: Report

Moscow, Aug 12 (IANS) Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said Tuesday that it foiled a terror attack targetting a high-ranking defence ministry official in the Moscow region.

The agency said it detained a dual Russian-Ukrainian citizen attempting to use a homemade explosive device disguised in a car for the attack.

The vehicle, filled with more than 60 kg of explosives, was to be detonated when the high-ranking officer passes by, the FSB said.

Over the past year, Russian authorities have reported multiple foiled plots involving car bombs and other explosive devices, often accusing Ukrainian special services of orchestrating them, Xinhua news agency reported.

In a high-profile incident, Russian Lieutenant General Yaroslav Moskalik, Deputy Chief of the General Staff’s main operations directorate, was killed in a car explosion in the Moscow region on April 25.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s new round of drone attacks hit a helium production plant in Russia’s Orenburg area, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported Tuesday.

The plant, struck in the drone attacks launched by the Main Intelligence Directorate under the Ukrainian Defence Ministry on Monday, is Russia’s sole producer of helium used in rocket manufacturing, space and aviation industries, the report said.

Local residents reportedly witnessed drones flying near the plant, and a series of explosions were reported in the targetted area.

Russian air defence forces intercepted and destroyed 32 Ukrainian drones overnight and a further seven in the morning, the Russian Defense Ministry had said on Monday.

According to the ministry, seven of the drones were downed over the Belgorod Region, five each over the Bryansk and Kaluga Regions, four over Crimea, two each over the Oryol, Kursk, Voronezh, Ryazan and Moscow Regions, and one over the Tula Region.

On Monday morning, the Defence Ministry reported that air defences shot down another seven Ukrainian drones. As a result of the drone attack on the Nizhny Novgorod Region, one person was killed and two were injured, the regional governor, Gleb Nikitin, wrote on his Telegram channel.

Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said that seven drones heading toward the Russian capital were downed on Monday morning. “Response teams are working at the site where debris fell,” he wrote on Telegram.

–IANS

/as

Final day of campaigning for Delhi MCD bypolls

New Delhi, Nov 28 (IANS) The campaign for the November 30 Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) bypolls entered its final day on Friday, with both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) intensifying efforts to reach voters across the 12 wards heading to the polls.

Senior leaders from both parties fanned out across the city, making last-minute appeals as they sought to secure support in a closely watched civic contest.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta led the BJP’s campaign on Thursday, addressing multiple public gatherings and holding a roadshow. At a meeting organised in Chhatta Lal Mian in support of Chandni Mahal ward candidate Sunil Sharma, she urged voters to elect BJP councillors to ensure that the city benefits from the party’s “all-round development agenda.”

CM Gupta also conducted a roadshow on Maharishi Valmiki Marg in Dakshinpuri, campaigning for BJP candidate Rohini Raj from Ward 164. Senior leaders, including MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, district president Arvind Garg, district in-charge Rajesh Bhatia, election coordinator Atif Rashid, state co-office secretary Amit Gupta, and state spokesperson Yasir Jilani, were present at various events, reinforcing the party’s message of stability and development.

Later, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva addressed a large gathering of Punjabi and Sindhi communities in Ashok Vihar, extending support to BJP candidate Veena Asija. Sachdeva stated that Delhiites were well aware that the BJP offered the “only viable option” for improved maintenance and infrastructure in the capital.

He emphasised that the party’s focus was solely on better governance. “The BJP government has only one agenda: development and the better maintenance of Delhi,” leaders repeated at multiple venues.

Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party continued to mount its counter-campaign. Earlier in November, at the launch of AAP’s bypoll campaign in Dwarka, AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj accused the BJP of mismanaging institutions and failing to deliver on basic civic responsibilities. “Garbage not cleaned, sewers not cleared, pollution not reduced; BJP failed on every promise it made to Delhi,” he said, asserting that the capital deserved cleaner and more accountable governance.

The MCD bypolls, covering 12 wards, are expected to set the tone for the next phase of Delhi’s civic politics, with both major parties framing the contest as a referendum on development, cleanliness, and local governance. Polling will be held on November 30, followed by counting and the results in early December.

–IANS

rs/rad

Weeks, not years: Trump says Iran Op faster, more effective than past US wars

Washington, April 2 (IANS) President Donald Trump compared the ongoing US military campaign against Iran with past American wars, arguing that the current operation had achieved results in weeks that earlier conflicts took years to deliver.

In his address to the nation on Wednesday night (local time), Trump said the operation against Iran had lasted just over a month but had already neutralised what he described as a major threat.

“We are in this military operation… for 32 days, and the country has been eviscerated and essentially is really no longer a threat,” he said.

He contrasted this with the duration of previous US wars to underline the speed and intensity of the campaign.

“American involvement in World War I lasted one year, seven months and five days. World War II lasted for three years, eight months and 25 days,” Trump said.

He added: “The Korean War lasted for three years, one month and two days. The Vietnam War lasted for 19 years, five months and 29 days.”

Trump also cited more recent conflicts. “Iraq went on for eight years, eight months and 28 days,” he said, contrasting them with the current timeline.

Framing the Iran operation as unusually swift, he said the US military had delivered results at a pace rarely seen in modern warfare.

“Never in the history of warfare has an enemy suffered such clear and devastating, large-scale losses in a matter of weeks,” Trump said.

He argued that the short duration of the conflict reflected both military strength and strategic clarity. “We are on the cusp of ending Iran’s sinister threat to America and the world,” he said.

Trump said the operation was aimed at dismantling Iran’s military capabilities and preventing it from acquiring nuclear weapons, a goal he has repeatedly emphasised.

“I have vowed that I would never allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” he said, calling the regime a long-term threat to US and global security.

He also signalled that the campaign was nearing its final phase, with key objectives close to completion and further actions planned if necessary.

At the same time, Trump stressed that the operation was limited in duration and scope compared to prolonged US engagements in the past.

–IANS

lkj/sd/