Shas­tri Boodan

In­di­an High Com­mis­sion­er Arun Ku­mar Sahu says that the In­di­an Di­as­po­ra has al­ways held a part of In­dia in their hearts.

He said so while de­liv­er­ing the fea­ture ad­dress at Di­vali Cel­e­bra­tions host­ed by the Cou­va South Con­stituen­cy of the UNC at Cam­den Road, Cou­va on Tues­day.

Sahu said the Di­as­po­ra has car­ried the cul­ture and kept it alive where they recre­at­ed their lives.

This is Sahu’s first Di­vali cel­e­bra­tions in T&T since he took of­fice ear­li­er this year.

He said, “We are ex­treme­ly hap­py of what you have achieved.”

Sahu said con­tem­po­rary In­dia is wel­com­ing to all and sees the Di­as­po­ra as part of the wider In­di­an com­mu­ni­ty.

He added, “Even if at some point of time you might think that you are dis­con­nect­ed from In­dia, I can as­sure you that you might for­get, but we have al­ways re­mem­bered that you are part of us.”

Cou­va South MP Rudy In­dars­ingh said the re­la­tion­ship be­tween In­dia and T&T be­gan in 1845 and stood the pas­sage of time.

In­dars­ingh said, “To­day we are the ben­e­fi­cia­ries of what In­dia has to of­fer to T&T and in­deed it has added to T&T be­ing that di­verse and rain­bow coun­try.”

The UNC MP said the com­mu­ni­ty can­not on­ly be pi­ous dur­ing the sea­son of Di­vali but must ex­tend these feel­ings and at­ti­tudes year round.

He said, “If we do not ex­ude that sense of bright­ness we not be able to bring a sense of light in­to the lives of those who we want to im­pact up­on be­cause we would be fail­ing in our du­ties and re­spon­si­bil­i­ties as an in­di­vid­ual. Be­yond Di­vali there would be those who are in need of our guid­ance, our sup­port, our need to prop them up in their homes.”