The Indian community in the Kingdom celebrated their country's 63rd Independence Day Saturday with fervor and enthusiasm at different ceremonies in Riyadh, Dammam, Jubail, Tabuk and Jeddah. In Riyadh, Ambassador M.O.H. Farook unfurled the national flag in the presence of a large number of Indians gathered at Indian Embassy premises in the Diplomatic Quarter early Saturday. Rajeev Shahare, Deputy Chief of Mission, and other embassy officials were also present. Students of the International Indian School, Riyadh (IISR) sang the national anthem and other patriotic songs. The students and other members of the Indian community expressed patriotic feeling by holding miniature national flags in their hands. They also greeted one another on the occasion. Later, Ambassador Farook read out President Partibha Patil's message on the occasion. In Dammam, Indian expatriates gathered at the Indian International School Dammam where the school's Managing Committee chairman Mohammed Asghar Khan hoisted the national flag. IISD Principal in-charge and school registrar Gangesh Tiwari read out President Patil's message which was followed by the national anthem sung by school children. As part of the celebration, school authorities distributed sweets and juices to all the Indian nationals who attended the program. At Al-Khobar's Sunshine International School, students and parents celebrated Independence Day in a well-attended function. SIS managing committee chairman Johnson Keepallil presided over the function and hoisted the national flag. Several Indian cultural and social organizations conducted seminars and entertainment programs and distributed sweets among Indian expatriates in the Eastern Province as part of their celebrations.
