Cultural event; Literary event; and Holi celebration event during Amrit Mahotsav Celebrations by EoI, Beijing (March 20-31, 2021)
i) EOI Beijing kickstarted India@75 with Vishwa Hindi Diwas celebrations (20 March, 2021) ii) Cultural performances in Hindi language. iii) Winners of various online competition held in run-up to the celebrations were felicitated during the event. iv) Holi celebration (27 March, 2021) . v) Traditional dance performances along with a photographic exhibition on different flavors of Holi celebrations. vi) Screening of Nil Batey Sannata (31st March, 2021). vii) Embassy Social Media platforms publicized a series of posts on Eminent Women personalities of India for International Women's Day celebrations.
Indian film screening and Meditation Workshop organised during Amrit Mahotsav Celebrations by CGI, Guangzhou (March 2021
i) Guided Meditation Workshop - Facing Challenges of uncertain times @ Consulate (19 March 2021). ii) Screening of Bollywood movie @ Consulate on 26 March 2021. iii) Screening of Bollywood movie (4 April 2021). iv) Holi Celebrations.
World Health Day and ICCR Foundation Day Celebrations , Cultural events and Film Screening organised during Amrit Mahotsav Celebrations by EoI, Beijing (April 2021)
1. On 7th April World Health Day was celebrated virtually with a video presentation by Guru Mohan Singh on Yoga explaining the 5 Koshas essential to our health and some useful yogic practices for health and well-being. 2. On 9th April Embassy of India, Beijing celebrated ICCR Foundation Day with ICCR scholars, alumni & their students. Ambassador Vikram Misri met eminent ICCR scholars and appreciated their affection for Indian Culture. Little Guru, the gamified app for learning Sanskrit was launched by Prof Wang Bangwei, Director of India Studies and Institute of Oriental Studies, Peking University. ICCR Cultural Scholarship holders showcased their talent through mesmerizing music and dance performances. 3. Indian New Year and harvest festival were celebrated by different Indian Diaspora communities with yoga, dance, music, traditional games, and traditional food. On 10th April Beijing Tamil Sangam, celebrated Puthandu with great fervor at the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Center Auditorium. On 17th April Beijing Malyalee Association celebrated Vishu with traditional sadhya and on 18th April Beijing Bongs organized Poila Baishakh with cultural programme and traditional Bengali food. 4. as a curtain Raiser to 7th IDY - Yoga for All - an initiative to spread Yoga among diplomatic community kick started on April 10th with the inaugural session being held at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands followed by Yoga session at Embassy of Israel on 15th April, at Chaoyang Park on 17th April for Cameroon Embassy and at Venezuela Embassy on 24th April. 5. The SCO family joined EOI, Beijing for the screening of Rock Star, 4th movie of the cinemaSCOpe series at the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre Auditorium. 6. “Manjhi”- the mountain man was screened on April 30 under the monthly Movie Matinee series.
Film Screening; Media Interaction and Inauguration event of Amrit Mahotsav Celebrations organised by CGI, Guangzhou (April 2021)
(i) Screening of Bollywood movie in Panyu, Guangzhou (4 April, 2021). ii) Introducing Incredible India to students of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou (06 April 2021) iii) Ambassador's Interaction with Think-tanks from South and Southwest China on 19 April, 2021. iv) Launch of India@75 in Guangzhou by Ambassador of India to China (20 April, 2021).
Media Interaction and Cultural Events organised during Amrit Mahotsav Celebrations by CGI, Shanghai (April 2021)
i) The Consulate General of India in Shanghai organised an interaction of Ambassador of India in China, Shri Vikram Misri with representatives of Indian industries based in Shanghai at the Consulate on 1st April 2021. More than 30 business leaders representing various sectors of economy including manufacturing, engineering, information technology, procurement, pharmaceuticals, chemicals and food, cosmetics, and textiles participated in the event. ii) 'Launch of India@75 celebrations #AmritMahotsav was organised at by Consulate General of India Shanghai on 2nd April 2021 at the Consualte Hall. Ambassador Shri Vikram Misri inaugurated the event. The event was marked with a series of Cultural performances from both Indian and Chinese artists. More than 120 Indian and Chinese citizens participated in the event. iii) Annual Cultural Festival on the theme India@75 was organised by Indian Association in Shanghai under the auspices of CGI, Shanghai, on the theme ‘Vasudev Kutumbkam’ (an idea that has inspired India for thousands of year) on April 3rd 2021 in Shanghai . A cultural programme was presented by children of NRIs. Around 250 Indians attended the event. Shri Vikram Misri, Ambassador of India to China and Consul General of India, Shanghai attended the event. iv) Yugadi celebrations was organised by Regional Association ‘Shanghai Kannadigaru’ under the auspices of CGI Shanghai on April 18th, 2021. Cultural performances, folk song and skit were performed by the members of Indian community. v) Chithirai Thruvizha 2021 was organised by Regional Association ‘Shanghai Sangamam’ under the auspices of CGI Shanghai on April 19th, 2021.
Various Yoga Events and Movie Screenings organised during Amrit Mahotsav Celebrations by EoI, Beijing ( May 2021)
MAY-2021 1. Yoga for All- Embassy of India, Beijing started an initiative to spread Yoga among Diplomatic community in China- Under this series Yoga sessions were conducted in five diplomatic missions in the month of May such as at Norway Embassy(7th May), Philippines Embassy(7th May), US Embassy(8th may), Australia Embassy(20th May), Brazil Embassy(29th May). Sessions were conducted by eminent Indian Yoga experts based out of Beijing. 2. Let’s Yoga with BMAC- A rejuvenating Yoga session was conducted for all the members and families of Beijing Military Attache’s Corp on 15th May at at the Shitiannong Ecological Farm. 3. Yoga for Healthy Living- A Curtain Raiser program to International Day of Yoga was held on 15th May in the city of Hangzhou in collaboration with Hemanth Yoga Academy. 4. SCO family joined EOI, Beijing for the screening of Black, 5th movie of the cinema Scope series at the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre Auditorium. 5. Under Movie Matinee Series “Mary Kom” was screened for all movie buffs at the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre Auditorium
Various IDY celebration events organised during Amrit Mahotsav Celebrations by CGI, Shanghai (June, 2021)
1. The Post pushed a series of articles to create awareness about Yoga through its social media handles both in English and Chinese. Moreover, M-Yoga App, Little Guru App and Ubuntu International Yoga Conference organised by ICCR were also popularized on the social media platforms viz wechat, weibo, facebook, and twitter. In addition, the Post also pushed articles related to freedom fighters and achievements by India as part of #BharatKaAmritMahotsav #India@75; 2. The Post organized online yoga classes with the help of locally available Indian Yoga teachers. The classes were conducted from the Consulate premises with provision for interested participants to join online through digital means. On June 24, a special Yoga session was also organised for members of Diplomatic Corps in Shanghai. 3. In Shanghai - The 7th International Day of Yoga was celebrated with mass Yoga sessions at multiple locations in Shanghai and in Hangzhou. The celebrations were organized in hybrid mode, both physically and through digital video conference. 4.In Hangzhou - With the support of CGI, Shanghai, mass Yoga session was also held in Hangzhou. Children of Indian community in Hangzhou organized ‘Kids Yoga’ and mass yoga sessions for adults at the Hangzhou International School.
Cultural Event organised during Amrit Mahotsav Celebrations by CGI, Hong Kong (April 2021)
The Consulate organized “Kalyani 2021”, a two day experience on Indian arts, at the Asia Society Hong Kong Centre on 17th - 18th April 2021. The art forms showcased were Sattriya (a classical dance form from Assam); Baul (Bengali folk music); Gond (tribal art of Madhya Pradesh, parts of Orissa, and Chattisgarh); Phad (folk art form of Rajasthan) and Sitar (a stringed instrument of the lute family).
Theatrical Performance organised during Amrit Mahotsav Celebrations by CGI, Hong Kong (May 2021)
The Consulate organized a two and a half hour long theatrical performance of “Mahabharat: An Epic Tale”, a play in English based on the Indian epic ‘Mahabharata’ on 15th May 2021 at Xiqu Centre, West Kowloon Cultural District. The performance included the Indian art forms of Kathakali, Yakshagana, Nangiar Koothu, Purulia Chhau, Seraikela Chhau. Theyyam, Kuchipudi, Satariya and Koodiyattam. The event was attended by an 800-strong audience which included several Consuls-General, eminent personalities from business, media and the arts, and distinguished members of the Indian community.
IDY events organised during Amrit Mahotsav Celebrations by CGI, Hong Kong (June 2021)
On 13th June 2021, the Consulate organized an event to celebrate the 7th International Day of Yoga in Macau. The event included a session of Common Yoga Protocol in which attendees participated with enthusiasm and was attended by 70 participants (in accordance with the Covid 19 regulations of the Macau Government). On 21st June 2021, the Consulate celebrated the 7th International Day of Yoga at Sky100 Hong Kong Observation Deck (a tourist attraction in Hong Kong) with participation from yoga enthusiasts with restricted numbers of around 70 (as per Hong Kong Government’s Covid-19 regulations). It was a holistic event with focus on mindful living through the practice of Yoga. After opening remarks by Consul General, the Theme Song of 7th IDY was screened, followed by a session of the Common Yoga Protocol and screening of a short video of the Macau celebrations held a week earlier. The event also included a yoga performance, choreographed on music, highlighting Vinayasa i.e. transition of yoga postures. A session on Laughter Yoga to explore the body and mind connection (which uses the power of laughter to release stress) was also organized.
Essay Writing and Painting Competitions organised during Amrit Mahotsav Celebrations by CGI, Hong Kong (July 2021)
Essay Writing and Painting Competitions for children on the theme ‘Bharat Ki Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ were organized by the Consulate. Both Competitions included senior and junior categories and met with an enthusiastic response. A total of 87 entries (26 in Senior and 61 in Junior) were received for the Painting Competition, and 63 entries (36 in Senior and 27 in Junior) were received in the Essay Writing Competition. The Essay Writing Competition was judged by Mr. Yonden Lhatoo, Chief News Editor, SCMP and the Painting Competition was judged by Mr. Jason Dembski, Founder, Hkwalls.
Independence Day Celebrations organised during Amrit Mahotsav Celebrations by CGI, Hong Kong (August 2021)
The 75th Independence Day was celebrated on 15th August 2021 with a flag hoisting event held at Shangri-La Hotel, Hong Kong. 180 members of the community, including representatives of Indian associations, Indian academics and PSU representatives, attended the event (numbers were restricted due to Covid-19 regulations). The celebrations included patritotic songs recital by a local group called ‘Little Indians’ and a Kathak performance by members of the Indian Community. Mr. Lal Lokumal Chellaram, recipient of the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award for 2021, was presented with the PBSA Gold Medal and Sanad by the Consul General. The winners of the essay writing and painting competitions held in July 2021 also received their prizes as part of the ceremony.
India Global Connect organised by CGI, Hong Kong in collaboration with Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (September 2021)
As part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations, CGI, Hong Kong in collaboration with the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) hosted the 10th edition of India Global Connect, a business networking meet, with Hong Kong on 30th September 2021. The meet provided a virtual platform to the gem and jewellery manufacturers, retailers and wholesalers from India to connect with the trade in Hong Kong to explore business opportunities. The participants discussed the current economic and business scenario, jewellery trends, trade procedures, to further strengthen ties between India and Hong Kong. The virtual meet was attended by Mrs. Priyanka Chauhan, Consul General of India to Hong Kong; Colin Shah, Chairman GJEPC; Suresh Kumar, Joint Secretary; Rakesh Zhaveri, Hong-Kong Indian Diamond Association; Raju Shah, Argho Diamond; Sohan Goenka, Unirich Jewellery Ltd., Ramesh Virani from Hini Star Ltd; Kiran Patel from Dharam Creations, Ranvir Singh from State Bank of India; Vijay Kedia from Kedia Gems Impex; Dilip Shah from Veer Gems; Manish Jivani from Anand International; Mansukh Kothari, Convener, Events, GJEPC; Julius Zheng, Co-ordinator, GJEPC. The moderator for the event was Milan Chokshi, Convener, PM&BD, GJEPC.
Gandhi Jayanti Celebrations organised during Amrit Mahotsav Celebrations by CGI, Hong Kong (October 2021)
As part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the Gandhi Jayanti celebrations on 2nd October 2021 in Hong Kong included a speech by Consul General on the philosophy and teachings of Gandhiji. Children from the Indian community presented songs recital and a skit, and participated in a quiz on Gandhiji’s life.
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas Celebrations organised during Amrit Mahotsav Celebrations by CGI, Hong Kong (October 2021)
The Consulate organised an art workshop on 31st October 2021to celebrate the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The Indian community participated enthusiastically in the workshop that promoted the Indian craft of block printing. The event included taking the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas pledge, a Tree of Unity themed installation and live art demos with Unity in Diversity theme.
Ayurveda Day Celebrations organised during Amrit Mahotsav Celebrations by CGI, Hong Kong (November 2021)
The theme for the Ayurveda Day celebrations, that were organized on 2nd November 2021, was Ayurveda for Poshan. CG Mrs. Priyanka Chauhan addressed the audience and highlighted the importance of Ayurveda. The event included talks by Ayurveda experts and a photo exhibition on Ayurvedic diet.The event was live streamed to Universities in India.
Hackathon organised during Amrit Mahotsav Celebrations by CGI, Hong Kong (November 2021)
A hackathon with the theme Leveraging Digital Technology by Cooperatives was organised on 6th November 2021.Mr. RS Sodhi, MD, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd, was the keynote speaker during the event. The event saw active participation from University Students.
AtmaSiddhi Shastra Book Launch organised during Amrit Mahotsav Celebrations by CGI, Hong Kong (November 2021)
Consul General launched the book AtmaSiddhi Shastra on 8th November 2021 at an event organised by the Consulate in collaboration with Shrimad Rajchandra Mission HK. The book launch was followed by a screening of the award-winning play Yugpurush: Mahatma's Mahatma, which explores the relationship between Mahatma Gandhi and his spiritual mentor, Shrimad Rajchandra ji.
Dekho Apna Desh Quiz organised during Amrit Mahotsav Celebrations by CGI, Hong Kong (November 2021)
The Dekho Apna Desh Quiz was organized on 20th November 2021 for children of the Indian diaspora aged between 12 and 16 years. The quiz was in a paper-based multiple-choice format and was followed by prize distribution.
Indian Classic Music Concert organised during Amrit Mahotsav Celebrations by CGI, Hong Kong (November 2021)
On 26th November 2021, SAMAAN concert was organised, in collaboration with Padmabhushan Ustad Mushtaq Husain Khan Association, as a flagship AKAM event. It paid tribute to the doyens of the Rampur-Sahaswan gharana of Indian classical music.
Samvidhan Diwas Celebrations organised during Amrit Mahotsav Celebrations by CGI, Hong Kong (November 2021)
To observe Samvidhan Diwas on 26th November 2021, Consulate officials read the Preamble to the Constitution with the Hon’ble President of India.
Kathaa 2021 organised by CGI, Hong Kong during Amrit Mahotsav Week by CGI, Hong Kong (December 2021)
As part of the Special Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav Week 2021, the Consulate organised the second edition of "Kathaa: Stories from India on Hong Kong Walls" from 1st to 10th December 2021. The community-based art festival saw the vision of four Indian folk artists (Sudheer, Adarsh Appukkutan, Mohan Prajapati, and Sai Kiran Dhanalkota) being translated into murals on the walls of Hong Kong by local artists (Aaron Tse, Ahmad Rida Nisar, Ruby Law, and Shweta Rastogi). This year the four heritage art forms that were showcased were Kalamkari from Andhra Pradesh, Cheriyal Scroll from Telangana, Kerala Mural from Kerala, and Miniature art from Jaipur.