Abu Dhabi school celebrates India's special day

From traditional Indian dancing to patriotic songs and marching quartets, a thousand students from 8 to 16 performed in green, white and orange attire on the school's ground.

Dubai, UAE, January 26, 2013:
Every year on the 26th of January Indians celbrate Republic day (which is not the same as their independence day). In Abu Dhabi, a rather large celebration took place at the Indian Scool of Abu Dhabi, located off of 4th street on 23rd.



Lee Hoagland/The National
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ABU DHABI // Thousands of students, parents, teachers and embassy officials gathered at the Indian School Abu Dhabi to celebrate India's 64th Republic Day today.

From traditional Indian dancing to patriotic songs and marching quartets, a thousand students from 8 to 16 performed in green, white and orange attire on the school's ground.

Millions of Indian flag ribbons adorned the school's stadium while children dressed in traditional rainbow-coloured saris, turbans andsarongs chanted national songs.

"They put a lot of hard work in this, they've been practicing from 7:30am to 8:30am every day for the past two weeks," said Fatima Miraj, the school's physics teacher. "This is our republic and independence day and we are all extremely proud."

As dozens of green, white and orange balloons were released into the sky, the Indian Ambassador to the UAE, Lokesh Mysore Kapanaiah, praised the students for their efforts. "There is much we can be proud of in the last decade," he said.

cmalek@thenational.ae