Australia kicks off Independence Day celebrations

Indian community members in Melbourne have also initiated celebrations of the day India was granted independence by the British colonial masters by holding annual winter sports tournament on Sunday.

The Melbourne sports event may have attracted scores of Indo-Australians but the India Australia Friendship Fair, organised at Athletic Centre, Sydney Olympic Park; is undoubtedly the largest Indian cultural event down under. .

According to the organisers’ estimates, around 20,000 visitors went past the huge Olympic Park turnstiles on Sunday. .

The India Australia Friendship Fair, known simply as India Fair earlier, played host to a number of cultural events to “showcase Indian Cultural Heritage with a special emphasis on classical and folk dances and music from different regions of India”. .

This year’s celebrations at Sydney’s Olympic Park included all-day activities like cultural programs, camel rides, fireworks, etc. according to a media release issued by the Sydney-based organisers United Indian Associations (UIA), over 100 organisations participated in this year’s India Fair. .

The list included various Australian government and non-governmental organisations and also South Asian businesses. These made their presence felt by organising stalls at the India Australia Friendship Fair. .

Proceeds from this Fair will be used, according to a UIA media release, for different Community Projects and establishing a Community Centre. .

While the Sydney event was attended by thousands, Winter Sports Tournament 2006 organised by Federation of Indian Associations of Victoria (FIAV), also managed to attract a sizeable number of members of various Indian associations. .

The Victorian umbrella body would host a function on 19th August. The Indo-Australians living in Victoria would also hold Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) award ceremony for academic excellence on this occasion. IP.