Indian High Commissioner: Speak more Hindi

The event was hosted by the National Council of Indian Culture of Trinidad and Tobago (NCIC),

Addressing the gathering, Dey said that while he is sure the “Indian- ness” is there, one of his disappointments is that East Indians in this country need to know Hindi, “a bit more.” “The easiest way to do this, is to incorporate it in your language. So please try and preserve what you have. We at the High Commission are committed to promoting and assisting you with this...I request that you retain the Hindi you have and build on it,” Dey said,

He also pledged to donate 200 books from the High Commission to the NCIC’s Heritage Library,

Saying he did not want to dwell into the hardships experienced by indentured labourers, Dey said members of the diaspora have been successful in various fields including business, politics and economics among other fields,

Also speaking at the celebrations, NCIC President Dr Deokinanan Sharma described the ancestors as being a resilient people strengthened by their religious beliefs and culture. “We are extremely grateful to our indentured forefathers to whom we pay our deepest homage for their persistence in ensuring that their offspring did better than themselves,” Sharma said,

Life for the indentures was difficult and degrading, Sharma noted, and they suffered great deprivations,

“Yet they chose to stay. Having made the decision either by coercion or of their own free choice they made every effort to develop their newly adopted homeland,” Sharma added,

Several groups entertained the gathering among them the Artistic Cultural Theatre which presented ‘Jahaaji’, a play written and directed by local playwright Wahid Baksh,

The comedy-drama is based on the observance of the centenary of the end of indentureship,