MESSAGE FROM THE PREMIER

It is an honour to send my warmest greetings to readers of Hindi Gaurav on the occasion of Indian Independence Day.
15 August presents a wonderful opportunity to celebrate India’s history and development since gaining independence in 1947.
NSW has strong diplomatic, business and cultural ties with India, so I was delighted to visit this great nation in January at the request of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
I was impressed by the vibrancy of Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Delhi and was touched by the beauty of the landscape and the Indian people.
The cultural connections between NSW and India are strong. India is our biggest source of permanent settlers, with 9,500 Indian people qualifying for skilled visas each year and approximately 12,000 Indian students studying at our schools and universities.
The strength of our relationship was evident when the Sydney Opera House was lit up in in celebration last year for Deepavali.
On this day of celebration, I am pleased to acknowledge the outstanding contributions of Indian Australians to our harmonious society.
MIKE BAIRD MP Premier