'Reinforcing traditions': Guyana Prez celebrates Holi with Indian envoy Dr KJ Srinivasa

High Commissioner Dr KJ Srinivasa on Saturday joined President of Guyana Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali in celebrating Holi, reinforcing the connections and traditions between the two countries. In India, the festival of colours will be celebrated this year on March 28 and 29. Holi or Phagwah is also celebrated every year in Guyana with great enthusiasm. The Indian embassy in Guyana shared pictures of High Commissioner Srinivasa and President Irfaan, marking the festival by applying colours on each others' faces.

The celebrations come a day after the Guyana President thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India for the donation of 80,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. India had sent AstraZeneca’s Covishield vaccine jabs to Guyana earlier this month, which were handed over to the country’s Prime Minister Mark Phillips by Indian High Commissioner KJ Srinivasa. The Indian embassy in Guyana recently shared a video online, where President Irfaan Ali can be heard thanking PM Modi and the people of India for their “generosity”.

“Prime Minister Modi has demonstrated great responsibility through his own management of COVID pandemic, not only for India but globally. Guyana is not the only country that benefited from the kindness of India. And it’s not only about kindness, it is a responsibility India took in ensuring under-privileged, developing countries also have access to vaccines. On behalf of the people of Guyana, we are grateful to PM Modi and the people of India,” said President Irfaan Ali in a special video message.

India's Vaccine Maitri program

India has won global praise for its ‘Vaccine Maitri’ programme which aims to aid low- and middle-income countries amidst the global pandemic. So far, India has exported the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine and Bharat Biotech's indigenous vaccine to more than 29 countries and will be providing vaccine doses to 49 more countries in the coming days. Both the vaccines are already in circulation in India with senior citizens receiving the jabs in the second phase of the immunization drive.