Kathmandu, August 15 — The Embassy of India in Kathmandu celebrated India’s 80th Independence Day on Saturday with the participation of members of the Indian community, friends of India in Nepal, Embassy officials and their families.
The celebrations commenced with the singing of ‘Vande Mataram’, followed by the hoisting of the national flag by the Ambassador of India to Nepal and the singing of the National Anthem.
The programme also featured the broadcast of an address to the nation by the President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, on the eve of the 80th Independence Day. On the occasion, the Ambassador honoured the widows and next of kin of 11 deceased personnel of the Indian Armed Forces. AGIF (Army Group Insurance Fund) cheques amounting to a total of NPR 8.2 crore were handed over to the families. The Ambassador also felicitated the winners of various competitions organised by the Embassy to mark the 80th Independence Day.
The competitions included a painting competition on the theme ‘Viksit Bharat’, the ‘Viksit Bharat Run’ and an Inter-School Quiz Competition. Winners of the special edition of the ‘Bharat Ko Janiye’ Quiz were also felicitated. The Embassy further announced a book grant for 22 educational institutions and libraries across all seven provinces of Nepal.
The initiative aims to enhance access to educational resources. The celebrations witnessed enthusiastic participation from members of the Indian community in Nepal, friends of India, Embassy officials and their families. The programme also featured vibrant cultural performances and patriotic songs presented by teachers and students of the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Center of the Embassy.
