Murmu leads Indians in Botswana in paying tributes to Delhi blast victims

PTI | Gaborone (Botswana)

President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday led the Indian community Botswana to pay condolences to the victims of the recent blast in Delhi.

A high-intensity blast outside the Red Fort in Delhi on Monday claimed at least 13 lives.

President Murmu, during her interaction with the members of the Indian diaspora on the last day of her three-day State Visit, expressed her heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and wished for a quick recovery of the injured.

After the National Anthem and an introductory welcome by Indian High Commissioner to Botswana, Bharath Kumar Kuthati, Murmu asked the members of the Indian community in the hall to pay respect to the departed souls. The gathering stood up and remained silent for a minute.

The Indian community in Botswana is about 10,000 strong and engaged in sectors such as education, health, diamond processing and some other trades.

The Indian community’s achievements are “a source of pride for India” and their success “enhances India’s prestige,” Murmu said and urged the gathering to continue contributing to Botswana’s progress and strengthen the relationship with India.

Saying she felt like “India in Botswana” after meeting the Indian diaspora here, Murmu asked them to keep their bonds with their motherland “strong.”

The President said she and her Botswanan counterpart Duma Gideon Boko, during their bilateral meetings over the last two days, have decided to enhance mutual cooperation in health, renewable energy and a variety of other areas.

She said India is going through a “transformation” to become a developed nation by 2047 (Viksit Bharat 2047) and cited government initiatives such as Digital India, Startup India, Make in India and Swachh Bharat (Clean India) that are taking India to “greater heights.”

Murmu said she has been informed that the Indian community in Botswana undertakes a number of social service works, including holding health camps and providing education services for the needy, and termed it as “praiseworthy.”

“This is the spirit of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (the world is one family),” Murmu said while appreciating the Indians here.

The President arrived in capital Gaborone on Tuesday after a four-day State Visit to Angola.