Online Reporter
Obey Musiwa and Takunda Gambiza
THE Embassy of India in Harare recently hosted Lok Kala Sandhya (Folk Dance Evening) featuring a performance by the 11-member Sanskruti Dance Academy from Gujarat, sponsored by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).
The event highlighted how centuries-old cultural and economic exchanges have evolved into a modern partnership, with the Indian community’s enduring presence in Zimbabwe serving as a bridge between the two nations.
In his address, India’s envoy to Zimbabwe, Ambassador Mr Bramha Kumar, emphasised the deep-rooted cultural and historical links between India and Zimbabwe.
“With a large and lively Indian Diaspora present in Zimbabwe since the early 19th Century, it brings our people together to celebrate the cultural values of both our countries,” he said.
“Since the time of the liberation struggle of Zimbabwe, India and Zimbabwe have become politically connected too.”
Ambassador Kamar said the embassy commemorates the Gujarati diaspora’s success in enriching Zimbabwe’s economy and preserving Indian ethos.
“Gujarat, a prominent Indian province known for its trade and industry on the west coast, has historically been a forwarding hub for Indian traders to other coastal areas of the Arabian Sea and also to the East Coast of the Indian Ocean,” he said.
“This is how the values of Indian culture spread in the countries of the Middle East and East Africa.”
Deputy Minister of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture Emily Jesaya said nearly 10 000 persons of Indian origin form a vibrant, peaceful, and integral part of the nation’s fabric.
“India and Zimbabwe share centuries-old historical people-to-people contacts with a strong cultural linkage since the time of the Munhumutapa kingdom,” she said.
“Many of our Indian friends played an active role in our struggle for liberation from colonial rule.”
She highlighted that President Emmerson Mnangagwa awarded the Royal Order of Mutapa to Mr Devanand Popatlal, a distinguished Indian-origin figure, for his role in Zimbabwe’s freedom struggle.
“Particularly, we have very close connections with Gujarat, as it was in the early 19th century when many Gujarati traders came to Zimbabwe and made it their home. They have been an integral part of peaceful and friendly Zimbabwean society,” said Ms Jesaya.
