Celebrations to mark Republic Day

More than 700 people attended an extravagant celebration to mark India’s 75th Republic Day at the weekend.

Indian Diaspora in the UK (the IDUK group) hosted the event at Slough Hindu Mandir, which saw a grand display of the country’s cultural heritage on Saturday.

Indian Republic Day, which falls on January 26, marks the anniversary of India officially adopting its constitution and making it a sovereign republic after gaining independence from Britain three years earlier.

The event featured a display of cultural performances showcasing the rich heritage of India through the theme of Bharat (Hindi name for

India).

Joining in the festivities were Slough mayor, Councillor Amjad Abbasi, deputy mayor Balwinder Singh and ten Slough Borough councillors.

Organiser, Ajay Murudkar told the Express: “There were people from diverse backgrounds and communities and the cultural programs highlighted the different states and languages of India.

“Slough has never witnessed such a grand celebration of the Republic Day of India. The attendees found themselves lost in their childhood memories of past Republic Day celebrations and leaving the venue, their hearts were filled with Indian patriotism.”

The event concluded with guests singing the national song of India, Vande Mataram, followed by an aarti and dinner.

IDUK founders, Hirdesh Gupta, Ajay Murudkar, Alok Gupta and Sanket Tamboli thanked attendees and performers for bringing a ‘vibrant atmosphere’, and thanked Slough Hindu Mandir for hosting the event as well as IDUK volunteers for making the event a ‘resounding success’.