RIYADH/JEDDAH — Indian expatriates in the Kingdom celebrated their country’s Republic Day yesterday.
Ambassador M.O.H. Farook and Consul General Dr. Ausaf Sayeed hoisted the national flags at separate functions held at the embassy in Riyadh and the consulate general in Jeddah to mark the occasion.
The ambassador commended members of the Indian community for their contribution to the tsunami relief fund set up at the embassy in Riyadh and the consulate general in Jeddah after the Dec. 26 tragedy. The consul general also thanked Indian expatriates for their continued support for tsunami victims.
The message of President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was read out at both the functions.
The president, in his message, spoke about steps being taken by the government to generate employment.
“Tsunami has caused severe damage to our coastal regions and islands and our fishermen and others living in these areas need to be rehabilitated,” he said in his message. He urged Indians to invest in areas like agriculture and food processing, education and health care, information and communication technology and infrastructure development in order to transform India into a developed nation by 2020.
Schoolchildren sang national anthem and other patriotic songs.
