Victory Day marked at the RCSC in New Delhi

The Russian Embassy in India, together with the Embassies of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, organised the Great Victory Day celebration to mark the 70^th Anniversary of the Victory over Fascism in the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945) at the Russian Centre of Science and Culture (RCSC) in New Delhi on May 9, 2015.

Russian Ambassador Alexander M. Kadakin welcomed the guests, along with his colleagues Ambassador Bulat Sarsenbayev of Kazakhstan, Ambassador Parakhat Durdyev of Turkmenistan, Ambassador Vitaly Prima of Belarus, Ambassador Samargul Adamkulova of Kyrgyz Republic, Ambassador Mirzosharif Jalolov of Tajikistan  and the CDA of Armenia Karen Gevorgyan and Charge d’ Affaires of Azerbaijan Evgana Gavgazly. Enthusiasm, heroism and national pride pervaded the atmosphere at the gathering comprising ambassadors, diplomats, military attaches, retired defence personnel, social activists, artists, educationists, mediapersons, and Russians resident in India.

Prominent dignitaries attended the function, including Indian political party heads Sitaram Yechury, CPI (M) General Secretary, S Sudhakar Reddy, CPI General Secretary, BJP leader Vijay Jolly, Major Dalbir Singh of the Indian Veterans’ Forum, former diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar, Cultural Historian-Novelist Achala Moulik, Former Indian Ambassador to Russia Ronen Sen, Trustee of the Roerich Memorial Trust Sudheendra Kulkarni and Classical Danceuse Sonal Mansingh.

There was a minute of silence to honour the memory of those who sacrificed their lives in the war, after which a video was shown of the Victory Day Parade taking place in Moscow. The parade comprised a contingent of the Indian army’s Grenadiers Regiment marching with Russian troops down the Red Square. An Exhibition of Historical Photos of World War II, Links of Time and “Great Patriotic War in Paintings, Graphics and in Human Destiny” was on display at the RCSC, along with an Exhibition of Photos from Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan.

70th anniversary of Victory

Earlier, Ambassador Kadakin welcomed Indian President Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to Moscow to attend the Victory Day celebration, saying “Russia highly values and welcomes President P.K. Mukherjee’s participation in the celebrations of our victory in the Great Patriotic War against Nazism (1941-1945). It is a telling gesture towards my country of such a long-time and tested friend, as Mr. Mukherjee, as also a symbol of solidarity of the people of India in grateful remembrance of the 27 million lives my country laid on the altar of the Allied Victory.  Russia also cherishes India’s active role in the last World War and the sympathy of the most illustrious founding fathers and all sons and daughters of this great land showed for the heroic efforts of the former Soviet Union. Both Russia and India stood at the cradle of the United Nations Organization. Amity and affection are the only words to describe our friendship for almost seven decades...”

“Victory Day is a day of unfading glory and joyous jubilation, a day of pride and sorrow, a day of supreme veneration and grateful memory marking the Victory of the peoples of the Soviet Union in the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945). For many generations of sons and daughters of the erstwhile USSR, it signifies the most sacred and important event which brings together and unites representatives of various nations—men and women, old and young, irrespective of their profession, religion or citizenship. For all of us, May 9 will forever remain a unique and eternal symbol of our common sacrifice and joint triumph in the fierce battle against Nazi invaders, ensuring their crushing defeat. This is the day to pay tribute to the memory of those 27 million people, who sacrificed their lives and liberated their country and saved Europe and the world from the Nazi plague, bloodshed, untold sufferings, sorrow and tyranny. This is the day to appeal to all peace-loving forces to redouble efforts to combat the merging neo-Nazi elements and forces of international terrorism and thus, as the UN Charter reads, “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war,”  Ambassador Kadakin said.                

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