Madagascar PM Ntsay innaugrates exhibition based on Indian diaspora

Madagascar Prime Minister Christian Ntsay on Saturday inaugurated an exhibition based on the Indian Diaspora at the Indian embassy in Antananarivo.

Present at the event alongside the Madagascar Prime Minister were Foreign Minister Tehindra Zanarivelo Oliva and Indian Ambassador to Madagascar Abhay Kumar.

Prime Minister Ntsay paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and after inaugurating the exhibition said that it was important to preserve the memories and to promote them as well.

"The Indian community in Madagascar is very important for India and for Madagascar. I recommend this exhibition as an innovative initiative of the Indian Embassy because it is very important for the Malagasy people to understand that all the things that we are seeing now did not start from zero and that this journey is very important to understand because it is part of our common history," the Prime Minister said during the address.

Ambassador Kumar during his address said that the Indian community in Madagascar acts as a "vital bridge" between the two countries.

"When I came to Madagascar about two years ago, I had a dream to create a Memorial for the Indian community in Madagascar. This exhibition is a small step in that direction. It has come to life today with consistent efforts and contributions from the members of the Indian community," he said.

"This exhibition tells their fascinating and adventurous story of the migration to Madagascar. I believe this exhibition will act as a seed in creating an Indian Memorial in Madagascar and will grow in the coming future as more and more families will share the stories of their struggle and success in Madagascar," the envoy added.

People from the Indian state of Gujarat sailed across the Indian Ocean in dhows to Madagascar and today there are about 17 500 persons of Indian origin in every part of Madagascar and play a crucial role in its society and economy.

( With inputs from ANI )