Thinley Namgay

The Indian community in Bhutan celebrated the 76th Republic Day of India at the Indian Embassy in Thimphu yesterday.

His Majesty’s representative, Gyalpoi Zimpon Dasho Ugyen K Namgyel, Cabinet Secretary Kesang Deki, Foreign Secretary Pema Choden, and other Bhutanese dignitaries were also present at the event.

The day commenced with the Indian Ambassador Sudhakar Dalela unfurling the Indian flag, followed by the singing of the National Anthem of India.

The Gyalpoi Zimpon presented a tashi khadar to the ambassador, symbolising the unique and exemplary friendship between the two countries.

Hundreds of Indian citizens in Bhutan came to celebrate the day. 

Cultural performances were also presented by Bhutanese and Indian nationals.

Republic Day is a national holiday in India, commemorating the adoption of the Constitution of India and the country’s transition to a republic, which came into effect on January 26, 1950.

On Republic Day, Indians across the globe honour the cherished values of justice, liberty, and equality upheld by the freedom fighters and the architects of India’s Constitution.

The ambassador read out the address of the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, to the gathering. The president’s address highlighted that the 75 years of the Constitution have been marked by the all-round progress of a young republic. “At the time of independence and even later, large parts of the country faced extreme poverty and hunger. But one thing we were not deprived of was our belief in ourselves.”

The address emphasised that in recent years, India’s economic growth rate has remained persistently high, creating job opportunities for youth, putting more money in the hands of farmers and laborers, and lifting more people out of poverty.

The president said that the government redefined the notion of welfare, making basic necessities such as housing and access to drinking water a matter of entitlement.

She also noted that efforts are being made to extend a helping hand to marginalised communities, particularly scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, and other backward classes.

The president stated: “We won freedom in 1947, but many relics of a colonial mindset persisted among us for a long time. Of late, we have been witnessing concerted efforts to change that mindset.”

Thanking the Bhutanese delegation, Ambassador Sudhakar Dalela said that Bhutan and India shared an exemplary relationship and that the two countries would continue to work together.