The Consulate General of India, Hambantota in Sri Lanka celebrated the 69th Independence Day of India on Saturday, August 15, 2015 at the premises of the Consulate General of India, Hambantota. Consul General, Mr. Raj Kumar, unfurled the Indian flag at 9.15 a.m.at the premises of the Consulate General of India. He read out the Address to the Nation on the eve of the Independence Day by the Hon´ble President of India Mr. Pranab Mukherjee.
2. About 70 Guests, including local Government officials, local police officials, friends of India, etc. participated in the flag hoisting ceremony. Snacks were served after the event.
3. Speaking about the state of India-Sri Lanka relations, Consul General highlighted that India shares a special relationship with Sri Lanka which is not just geographical, but dictated by ties of shared religions, cultural practices, family linkages, linguistic commonalities, economic inter-linkages, and political understanding between two democracies.
4. Consul General said that this year started with the exchange of visits at the highest level. President Maithripala Sirisena visited India in February and Prime Minister Modi visited Sri Lanka in March. During these visits a number of MoUs were signed. Among them one was building of State of the Art Rabindranath Tagore memorial auditorium at the University of Ruhuna, Matara with a budget of Rs.300 million under Government of India’s full grant assistance programme. He also said that Government of India handed over the English language lab at Akuressa near Matara to the Government of Sri Lanka.
5. Consul General also said that this Consulate has been organizing Indian Classical dance Kathak classes and also Kathak classes at the Ruhuna University and Hindi Classes at the Tsu-Chi National School. He invited the local aspirants to join above classes without any hesitation.
