Indian community in US celebrates R-day

Washington, Jan 26 (IANS) Indian community in the US celebrated India’s 64th Republic Day with Ambassador Nirupama Rao unfurling the national flag at a colourful function at the Indian embassy here on a clear but chilly day.

After hoisting the flag in front of the embassy overlooking a statue of Mahatma Gandhi, Rao read out President Pranab Mukherjee’s address to the nation.

About 200 members of the community joined the celebrations, including singing of the national anthem and a short cultural programme.

Earlier, Deputy Secretary of State William Burns and Ami Bera, the third Indian-American to be ever elected to the US House of Representatives, were among the guests at a reception Thursday at the embassy residence.

In New York, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Hardeep Singh Puri unfurled the national tricolour at the Permanent Mission premises and read out salient excerpts from the president’s address to the nation.

Over 150 guests, including prominent members of the Indian American community, attended. Among the guests was Vijay Nambiar, the special adviser on Myanmar to the UN Secretary-General.

Similar flag hoisting ceremonies were also held at the Indian consulates in New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Houston.

IANS 2013-01-26 22:34:01