Kolkata celebrates Independence Day

KOLKATA: Kolkata celebrated 70th Independence Day with a great zeal. Patritic fervour ran high in several neighbourhoods of the city. Young boys unfurled the tricolour in several localities. Residents were seen wishing and embracing each other.

Though August 15 is a government holiday, several schools and colleges remained open to host special programme to commemorate the occasion.

"Our students put up a very inspiring programme to pay their tribute to our freedom fighters," said Shahid Iqbal, teacher in charge of Momin High School in Kolkata’s Rajabazar.

"I consider myself fortunate to have been born in India," said class twelve student Atiq Rahman.

The second half saw Kolkatans thronging malls, markets, the Alipore Zoo and Victoria Memorial. "The weather is good and it’s a holiday. So I have come to visit the hot spots of the city," said Debolina Roy, a homemaker from Salt Lake.