"A home away from home": That's what members of the Belize Indian Community call Belize and today they got to celebrate it right at the Battlefield Park. It's Indian Republic Day - the day that truly marks India's sovereignty and Independence from the British in 1950. Although they are over 9,000 miles away from India, the community is still celebrating that pivotal moment in Indian history. President of the Belize Indian Community, Dinesh Bhojwani told us why it matters so much to Indians living in Belize and in India.
Dinesh Bhojwani, President of BIC
"Today is India Republic day. Although India got independence in 1947, in 1950, on January 26th, it was created a nation. We had our constitution formalized that year and so that was the day that really signify a true independent India where it was moved away from complete British rule. You can be Indian at heart and still be Belizean. It's not one or the other. We can coexist with you. Like I said India has given us Bollywood, but at the same time Belize has given us rice and beans and Punta, so we can't wrong that right. And nowadays you see it, with the fusion of the music, you see it with the fusion of the food, you see it with the fusion of everything. And that's part of globalization."
Arun Hutchandani, Honorary Council General
"You know they say when someone becomes 66 years old, you become wise, mature and they say you've seen the world. But when India, become wise and mature and the world looks at India. India has become an international leader. This year is special as well because the US President Barrack Obama is actually in India as the chief guest celebrating it with our prime minister, who also conveys his best regards to the government and people of Belize and as well as the members of the Indian community here."
Kiran Vanjani, Director of BIC Board
"If you compare celebration here and India, there is a huge difference and in India as you might have seen on TV, the republic was celebrated and the capitol of India which is New Delhi and there is a huge parade and there are representation of all the 31 states of India."
As Kiran said - the celebration in Belize among the Indian community is merely a speck of what happens in India and this year's celebration has a very interesting element to it - and that's the visit from the President of the United States Barack Obama. As you can see in the video, he attended India's Republic Day Parade in Delhi. According to BBC news, Obama is the first US head of State to do so.
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