Watch Australian Prime Minister Celebrate Holi with Flowers at Gujarat’s Raj Bhavan

GG News Bureau

Gandhinagar, 9th March. On the first day of his first visit to India on Wednesday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid rich tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad and played Holi at Raj Bhavan.

Anthony Albanese arrived at the city’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport in the evening and went straight to the Ashram, Mahatma Gandhi’s former home that also served as one of the main centres of India’s freedom struggle.

 

No matter what your faith is or where you’ve come from—we celebrate and value what unites us. pic.twitter.com/wcowVPm4LW

— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) March 8, 2023

The Father of the Nation founded the Ashram on the banks of the Sabarmati River in 1917 and lived there till March 1930, when he launched the famous ‘Dandi March’ and vowed not to return till India achieved independence.

Albanese arrived in India for a four-day visit and was greeted at the airport by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who also accompanied the visiting leader on the Ashram tour.

Though visitors were not required to remove their shoes while walking on the open ground of the Ashram, the Australian Prime Minister did so out of respect for Mahatma Gandhi and the iconic location, according to Ashram trustee Kartikeya Sarabhai.

The visiting dignitary was also shown ‘Hriday Kunj,’ a room within the Ashram where the Indian independence hero lived.

“He (Albanese) was amazed to see how khadi is weaved using a spinning wheel. The word ‘khadi’ was new to him, so our trustee Amrutbhai Modi, explained the entire process to him,” Sarabhai told reporters.

Sarabhai and other trustees presented the visiting leader with a book written by Australian author Thomas Weber about Mahatma Gandhi’s historic salt march on behalf of the Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust.

Albanese, who spent nearly 20 minutes on the premises, was given another book depicting the Father of the Nation’s life in Ahmedabad from 1915 to 1930, as well as a replica of a charkha, or spinning wheel.

The Australian leader wrote in the visitor’s book that Mahatma Gandhi’s values and philosophy continue to inspire people all over the world.

“It is a great honour to visit, to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi whose philosophy and life values continue to inspire the world today. We have much to learn from his example,” wrote the Australian PM in the book before leaving for Raj Bhavan.

Albanese celebrated Holi late in the evening at Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar, the state capital. According to a state government release, he was greeted at Raj Bhavan by Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Patel by applying color to his face as a mark of Holi celebrations.

The Governor organized the ‘Holi Celebrations’ event in honour of the visiting dignitary and his delegation. At the event, artists from various states, including Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, performed traditional dance forms.

Honoured to celebrate Holi in Ahmedabad, India. Holi’s message of renewal through the triumph of good over evil is an enduring reminder for all of us. pic.twitter.com/DSyxcY02bX

— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) March 8, 2023

The Australian leader tweeted photos from the event and wrote, “Honoured to celebrate Holi in Ahmedabad, India. Holi’s message of renewal through the triumph of good over evil is an enduring reminder for all of us.”

“No matter what your faith is or where you’ve come from – we celebrate and value what unites us,” he said in another post.

Speaking at the event, Albanese stated that, while this is his first official visit as Prime Minister, he visited India as a youngster in 1991 and stayed for six weeks.

He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the invitation and expressed his excitement about attending the fourth cricket Test match between Australia and India in Ahmedabad.

The two prime ministers were present as the first day of the India-Australia Test began on Thursday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera.

Separately, the visiting leader announced that the Australia-India Education Qualification Recognition Mechanism had been finalized between his country and the Indian government.

Albanese made the announcement during a program in which it was officially announced that Deakin University in Australia would establish an international campus at GIFT City in Gandhinagar.

“There is a significant development in our bilateral education relation. I am pleased to tell you that we have finalised Australia-India Education Qualification Recognition Mechanism,” he said.

“The new mechanism means that if you are an Indian student who is studying or have studied in Australia, your hard-earned degree will be recognised when you return home. Or if you are a member of Australia’s very large Indian diaspora –500,000 and growing — you will feel more confident that your Indian qualification will be recognised in Australia,” Albanese said.

He also announced the Maitri Scholarship, which will allow Indian students to study in Australia for up to four years.

Albanese described Deakin University’s decision to establish an international campus in India as a great honor.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Patel stated that under PM Modi’s leadership, Gujarat has made it its mission to become a national and international education hub.

He mentioned Gujarat’s sister-city agreement with New South Wales in 2018, and how Gujarat and Australia have long had people-to-people connections.

“Free trade agreement has become a new medium to give a new height to the bilateral relations between India and Australia. Gujarat is a growth engine of development, and I am sure it will get special benefit of bilateral relationship with India and Australia,” Patel said.

Iain Martin, Vice-Chancellor of Deakin University, stated that he hoped the international campus at GIFT City would open in 2024.