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World Hindi Day Celebration विश्व हिंदी दिवस समारोह

1.The High Commission of India in Georgetown in collaboration with Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, Georgeorgetown celebrated World Hindi Day  विश्व हिंदी दिवस समारोह  on Sunday, 17 January 2021. Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the event was celebrated virtually. The event was live streamed through the FaceBook pages of High Commission of India, Georgetown and Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, Georgetown. The event was also live telecast on E-3 and Channel 06 TV channels of Guyana.

2. The event began with recital of the Guyanese and Indian National Anthems. After offering his welcome remarks, H. E. Dr. K. J. Srinivasa, High Commissioner of India to Guyana read the Message from Prime Minister of India, Hon’ble Shri Narendra Modi on World Hindi Day. Hon. Dr. Vindhya Vasini Persaud, Minister of Human Services and Social Security of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana & President of Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabhaa, Hon. Vikash Ramkissoon, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of Guyana, respected Mr. Beni Singh,  founder of Guyana Hindi Prachar Sabhaa, Pt Jagmohan, Vice President, Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabhaa, Indian Community leaders, Mr. P.C. Dave from Guyana; Mr. Vijay Tewani from Antigua and Barbuda; Mr. Ramesh Mulkanoor from St Kitts and Nevis and Mr. Umesh Chatlani from Anguilla delivered their remarks. Mr. Deen Dayal Singh, Second Secretary, High Commission of India, Georgetown spoke about World Hindi Day as well as recited a poem in Hindi. Three Guyanese nationals who went on Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarship to study Hindi language in India shared their experiences.  Mrs. Meena Chand also spoke on the relevance of Hindi.

3. Cultural performances were also organised during the celebration.  Mr Amjad Ali Warsi, Tabla Teacher cum performer of SVCC Georgetown, along with his students performed two songs.  Hindi language students from Essequibo, Ms. Bindi Singh from Sarswati Dance Academy, Essequibo and several others participated. Members of the Huis T’ Dieren Mandir sung a short Chaita from the Ramayan.  A Bhopuri song ‘Batohiya’ written by the famous Bihari poet and freedom fighter Raghubeer Narayan was played. This Purbi song became very popular in Girmitya countries and is known as the ‘Vande Matram’ of Bhojpuri. Batohiya in Bhopuri means ‘Traveller’. In this song an indentured labourer in a British colony is describing India as a heaven on the earth and that he wants to visit his homeland.

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