Special celebration of technical cooperation and training with India
Hon Dr Peya Mushelenga, the Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, joined the Indian High Commissioner, HE Kumar Tuhin in a special ceremony last week to light a traditional Indian lamp signifying the brilliance of the educational relationship between Namibia and India.
On Friday, the Indian High Commission celebrated Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Day at a Windhoek hotel, welcoming a large group of Namibian civil servants and students who have attended training programmes and specific studies in India. These programmes are conducted under the mandate of the formal technical cooperation or under the auspices of the Indian Council of Cultural Relations.
High Commissioner Tuhin said the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation programme started in 1964 in solidarity with the aspirations of the fellow developing countries. “It is now a brand name recognized all over the world for building technical capacity and human resources in innovative and effective ways. Every year more than 10,000 participants from all over the globe go to India for capacity building courses in diverse areas at leading centres of excellence in both public and private sectors, in both civilian and defence fields,” he said.
In Namibia, there are already more than 1100 alumni of Indian educational institutions.
Deputy Minister Mushelenga conveyed the government’s appreciation describing the educational support by India as extremely useful tools to build capacity among Namibian officials and students.
“Take full advantage of the opportunities presented by these scholarships and become a bridge of friendship between India and Namibia upon [your] return,” the deputy minister advised.
The most recent group of civil servants due to attend training courses in India, are ready to leave. They will be in India by the end of November and will remain there for about a month.
At the special commemorative day, several alumni told the gathering about their personal experiences while in India and the many advantages they enjoy from the training programmes. The evening ended with a sumptuous dinner of traditional Indian delicacies.
