Edinburgh Hindu Temple has paid tribute to President of Tobago Hindu Society Rayan Ramoutar, 39. The event took place yesterday to recognise Ramoutar's award of a scholarship from Tobago House of Assembly (THA), to pursue a certificate course in Women's Empowerment Through Technical and Vocational Education. The programme will begin on January 17 in Chennai, India. The scholarship was awarded to the THA through the Government of India's ITEC programme, and made possible through the work of Indian High Commissioner Malay Mishra, who ensured that residents on the sister isle were not left out of any benefits India had to offer this country.
Pundit Ramesh Tiwari, head of Edinburgh Hindu Temple, praised Ramoutar for the strength she has show in uplifting Indian culture and the Hindu religion. Tiwari also lauded Ramoutar for the key role she and the executive members of the Tobago Hindu Society played in securing a plot of land for construction of a temple in Tobago. The deed for the property was being drawn up. Ramoutar, who is also the National Training Agency's Tobago co-ordinator and holder of a Master's degree in food science and technology, will also attend the Pravasi conference in New Delhi, where issues surrounding the Indian Diaspora will be raised.
Ramoutar said she was extremely proud to represent the people of T&T, and saw both events beneficial in creating linkages for programme exchanges in the area of curriculum development that she said would go a long way to benefit her fellow islanders. She hoped to gain a lot of expertise from ideas to assist in the delivery of the NTA's Caribbean vocational qualification option. "Firstly, let me thank the members of the Edinburgh Hindu Temple and Pundit Tiwari. This is the temple where I grew up in. It is part of my home, even though I live in Tobago. "The scholarship would bring a wealth of knowledge which I plan to impart with the people in Tobago upon my return." Tiwari presented Ramoutar with a murti of Lord Ganesh.