Public Programme at Auckland Indian Association on January 26 also cancelled
Story updated at 9 pm today
Venkat Raman
Auckland, January 21, 2020
The visit of India’s Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Vellamvelly Muraleedharan to New Zealand has been cancelled.
A notification issued by the Wellington based Indian High Commission today said that the cancellation was “due to unforeseen circumstances.”
Consequently, the Public programme scheduled to be held by Auckland Indian Association at Mahatma Gandhi Centre on January 26, 2020 at 6 pm has also been cancelled.
However, the flag-hoisting ceremony will be held as scheduled at the Mahatma Gandhi Centre at 1030 am and the event is open to all.
Mr Muraleedharan was scheduled to arrive in Auckland from Brisbane on Sunday, January 26, 2020 and attend the 70th Republic Day Celebrations of Auckland Indian Association which is also marking its 100th Anniversary this year.
His other engagements in Auckland included attending the Cricket Match between New Zealand and India at Eden Park.
His appointments in Wellington on January 27, 2020 included meetings with ministers and government officials, a friendly chat with the ethnic media at InterContinental Hotel.
The Republic Day Celebrations hosted by Indian High Commissioner Muktesh Pardeshi and his wife Rakhi at 615 pm at Bharat Bhavan, will however be held as scheduled.
About Republic Day
As mentioned in these columns last week, while India obtained independence on August 15, 1947, it declared itself a Democratic Republic on January 26, 1950, de-linking the country from the British Crown.
India also established its own rule under a democratically elected President.
Many Indians consider January 26 as the completion of the process of independence which began several years earlier under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and his associates.
Seven decades of political and economic independence, punctuated by periods of boom and gloom have helped the equilibrium of the India’s teeming millions and today there is a growing sense of optimism. With the economy is performing well above the global average and with almost every industry on its progressive path, there is cause for celebration.
As Indians mark this occasion with gaiety in India and elsewhere in the world, multinationals and international investors continue to eye the country to make their own presence felt in the land of culture and talent.
