India and the Netherlands celebrate close ties
To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Indian Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, a performance of one of his plays took place in Amsterdam’s Compagnietheater on 14 May 2011. Several VIPs from the Indian and Dutch communities attended the event.
Special guests for the anniversary
Among the VIPs that attended the play were Amsterdam Alderperson Andrée van Es, the deputy mayor of Amstelveen Jan-Willem Groot and Bhaswati Mukherjee, the ambassador of India to the Netherlands. Both the ambassador and Van Es gave short speeches prior to the play, expressing their appreciation of the historically strong bonds between India and the Netherlands.
After the presentations, attendees enjoyed a performance of the play ‘Rakta Karabi’ (‘The Red Oleanders’), written in 1926 by Rabindranath Tagore. In 1913 he became the first non-European to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of this extremely gifted writer. The novels, plays and poems that Tagore wrote are still read today, influencing Indian literature and culture, and also appealing to wider global audiences. As such, the anniversary was also being celebrated in India and in other cities around the world.
Indian influence on the Amsterdam Area
The Amsterdam Area is the most popular destination for Indian firms in the Netherlands. As such, the Indian population is the fastest growing foreign business community there. The outstanding quality of life for Indian expatriates in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area is a strong influence for companies seeking to expand in the European market. Because of the growing number of Indian expats in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area, amsterdam inbusiness also strives to further enhance the quality of life for Indian natives.
Members of the Indian community can rely on a highly specialised group of commercial services targeted specifically for them. There are shops and restaurants reflecting the educational and culinary heritage of India. And besides the recent Tagore celebration, additional events are organised throughout the year. For example:
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The annual amsterdam inbusiness cricket event for Indian companies takes place at the VRA cricket ground in Amstelveen. This is a family event for all Indian expats. Participation is free of charge.
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Diwali festival, co-sponsored by amsterdam inbusiness, which is also hosted in Amstelveen. Themes here are Indian dance, music, culture and food. The 2010 festival ended with a spectacular fireworks display. The event was a huge success with some 8000 Indian expats visiting.
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