Continuing its tradition started some 30 years ago, the Indian Cultural Society and Bazm-e-Osmania Jeddah celebrated the 61st Anniversary of India's Independence with a cultural program named “Yaad-e-Rafi' here Thursday. Patron of ICSJ Dr Dilshad Shamsi welcomed the guests. Omer Bagazaal, patron Bazm-e-Osmania, appreciated the services of ICSJ and Bazm-e-Osmania. The program started with patriotic songs. The audience was treated to a mix of patriotic songs and evergreen Mohammad Rafi numbers. Arif Quraishi, ICSJ & Bazm-e-Osmania president, said, “We have gathered here to remember and pay our respect to the sacrifices made by our freedom fighters.” He thanked the Indian Consulate for its support. Shams Ahsan, Managing Editor of Saudi Gazette, congratulated the ICSJ and Bazm-e-Osmania for organizing national functions every year. He also said that we should break all the boundaries of regionalism and keep the national flag flying high. Chief guest Cyril Tigga, Consul Education and Commercial and HOC, said efforts like these should be supported by all means. He also said that there are 124 organizations in Jeddah which are in the Indian Consulate records, but ICSJ and Bazm-e-Osmania are the most visible and active organizations of all. On this occasion the guests and members of ICSJ and Bazm-e-Osmania cut a cake to mark the 61st Anniversary of India's Independence Day. K. K. Vijayan, Consul Community and Welfare; Deepak Ananad Regional Manager Air India (Saudi Arabia); P.K Dey General manager Al-Rashed Bakery; J. Paramesh Warappa, General Manager State Bank of IndiaJeddah Branch; Omer Ali Alavi, Brand Manager Indomie, were the guests of honor. Well-known local singers Jimmy Fareed Al Waheedy, Ahmed Siddiqui, Maher, Mujeeb, Mohsin, Kaleem, Sunita Kumar and Niveen Farooq enthralled the audience for almost four hours. The program ended with the rendering of the National Anthem. __
