Panorama India celebrates India’s Republic Day

Ajit Khanna, Chair Panorama and Consul Genreal Preeti Saran receiving greetings from the Prime Minister from MP Bob Dechert. Also in the picture, Former Senator Vim Kochar, Senator As

Junior Idol Contest winner Prathamesh Dixit

Children from Nrityakala Mandir performing a Gujarati Chabri Dance

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StarBuzz Weekly, Toronto-January 29th 2012 : Panorama India’s Republic Day Celebration and Festival at the Pearson Convention Centre was full of vibrant colour, gaiety and patriotic fervor.

The day started with the rendition of the National Anthems of India and Canada beautifully sung by three children representing the diaspora. Hearts swelled with joy and pride with some moist eyes in the audience.

Mr. Ajit Khanna, Chair of Panorama India, welcomed the thousands gathered in the hall and thanked them for their support of Panorama India. He spoke of the phenomenal year that 2011 was. The year of India in Canada was a huge success and positively exposed India to many Canadians. He re-iterated that Panorama’s Mandate of Educate, Celebrate and Collaborate was clearly evident at the event, where so many people representing various regions of India had come together to learn about each other’s culture and to take part in the celebrations. He thanked the Board and the Consulate General of India for their support.

Ms. Preeti Saran, Consul General of India congratulated Panorama India, the organizers of the event, for keeping the heritage and culture of India alive in Canada. She spoke of the success of Year of India in 2011 and acknowledged Dr. Asha Seth on her appointment as Senator, and the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce for receiving the Pravasi Samman Award at PBD in India in January.

Prime Minister Harper, in a message delivered by Mr. Bob Dechert, MP, extended his greetings to everyone celebrating Republic of India Day, commemorating the coming into force in 1950 of the Constitution of India. He said that Canada enjoys longstanding bilateral relations with India, based upon our shared traditions of democracy and pluralism.

Premier McGuinty’s message was read out by Minister Harinder Takhar. The Premier said that India and Canada enjoy commonalities, including vast geography and tremendous cultural diversity. He said “Like India, we have turned our diversity into our best strength and taken our place in the global economy. I wish to recognize the Indo-Canadian community for its invaluable contributions to the social, cultural and economic life of Ontario.”

Soon after the remarks concluded, the dancing and the music started! The musical strains soon gave way to a mélange of colour as songs melted into a bevy of folk dance performances of different Indian states and crowds swelled as the day progressed and reached a crescendo with the bhangra beats of the Nachdi Jawani group, who took first prize in the Folk Dance Competition that featured nine groups.

While parents and seniors were enjoying the foot tapping music and clapping to melodious songs, their children were busy drawing and coloring their ideas of India and Canada, their festivals and culture. It was heartening to see so many three to five year olds turn up to splash paper with their own colour and creativity apart from more formed ideas and finer motor skills of the older children in age groups 6-8 yrs and 9-12 years.

The much awaited Idol Contest had a new Junior Category added this year. The Juniors took the stage first. Five contestants – Arundati Ganesh, Linton Pinto, Netra Unni, Prathamesh Dixit and Shivani Hegde competed, with Prathamesh being awarded the Junior Idol Title.

The Adults were next. Three contestants – Anuja Panditrao, Ravi Dattar and Sumanth Ananthram competed for top honours. Ravi Dattar was declared Panorama’s Idol.

Panorama India is a not-for-profit umbrella organization which promotes Unity in Diversity and provides a platform for various Indo-Canadian cultural groups to showcase their culture and heritage.