Toronto says Jai Hind on 69th Indian Independence Day

TORONTO: An overwhelming feeling of pride and unity was palpable amongst the hundreds waiting in the huge hall at the office premises of the consulate-general of India in Toronto. Cries of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai Ho!” rent the air as consul-general. Akhileh Mishra took to the stage surrounded by his family and guest of honour John Tory, the mayor of Toronto. As soon as the tricolour was unfurled, the crowd sang the Indian national anthem, Jana Gana Mana. Afterwards, Mishra addressed the audience by reading out the message from the Indian President Pranab Mukherjee. He quoted Dr Ambedkar and Gandhi in his speech. The Toronto mayor commended Mishra for providing efficient consular services. He joked he still had work to do at City Hall, and wanted to borrow the consul-general for help. Emphasizing his deep respect for a country that houses over a billion people, Tory said he shared a personal bond with India, having experienced her rich culture in the thriving cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Amritsar, to name a few. He gave credit to the vast Indian diaspora for making Toronto the best place to live according to the recent report published by The Economist. The festivities concluded with the distribution of Indian sweets including kaju katli, motichoor ladoos and savouries like. dhoklas, tikka and chhole.