Namaste Zimbabwe: A celebration of Indo-Zim bilate...

Namaste Zimbabwe: A celebration of Indo-Zim bilateral ties

Patience Muchemwa

The bilateral relations between Zimbabwe and India are strengthening, with the educational sector showing the extent of these ties, a senior Indian Embassy official said recently.

Speaking at the third edition “Namaste Zimbabwe” event at Celebration Centre, in Harare on Friday evening, Indian Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Vijay Khanduja said they are a number of Zimbabwean students who are studying in the Asian country while some are on government scholarships.

“More and more Zimbabwean students are going to India to pursue higher studies. It is estimated that their number is close to 3 000 at present. The Government of Zimbabwe has offered 250 scholarships for students to study in India. At the Unesco India Africa Hackthon held in November 2022, Zimbabwean students won gold medals, from a team of 18 students.”

There are also a number of Indian students who are studying in Zimbabwean and tertiary institutions.

Ambassador Khanduja said the first edition of Namaste Zimbabwe started as part of 75th Anniversary celebration of India’s Independence three years ago.

He said Namaste is a well-known Indian form of greeting, which means that “I bow to you” or “I respect you.”

At the event, Indian artists, Aakash, Archana, Arun, Arvind, Kriti and Uthara showcased their culture through dance, playing instruments and singing.

It was really a night to remember with mesmerising performances from the Indian artists.

Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister, Kirsty Coventry as well as former Industry and Commerce Minister, Sekai Nzenza graced the occasion.

Minister Coventry praised the cultural ties between Zimbabwe and India.

“It’s really impressive when you go to India to just see how proud people are with culture and heritage,” she said, adding that she had an incredible cultural experience when she visited the Asian nation.