At the flower-laying ceremony. Photo: Vietnam's embassy in India

In celebration of the 132nd birthday of President Ho Chi Minh and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and India, the Vietnamese Embassy on May 14 kicked off a week to pay homage to Uncle Ho in Kolkata city, the capital of West Bengal State in India.

Kolkata, earlier Calcutta, is a place President Ho Chi Minh visited many times. When he worked on La Touche de Tréville merchant ship to go abroad to find a way to save the country, he landed at Calcutta port. In 1946, on the way to France as President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, President Ho Chi Minh also stopped at Calcutta and met with members in the Indian Communist Party.

In 1990, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his birthday, according to the agreement of the Vietnamese and Indian Governments, the authorities of West Bengal State decided to build a bronze statue of President Ho Chi Minh in the central park of the city.

Many people in Kolkata are proud of their 'firsts,' such as being the first city in the world to have protests in favor of Vietnam, the first city to have Ho Chi Minh Avenue, and the first place in the world to build a bronze statue of President Ho Chi Minh.

Uncle Ho's monument is made of bronze, solemnly placed on a brown granite block brought from a province more than 1,000km from Kolkata. The longer the stone is left, the more shiny it will be and can last for hundreds of years. Photo: Vietnam's embassy in India

From early morning, the delegation of the Vietnamese Embassy in India led by Ambassador Pham Sanh Chau visited and laid flowers at the President Ho Chi Minh Monument in ITC Square, on the intersection between Ho Chi Minh Avenue and Jawaharlal Nehru Avenue in Kolkata city.

This road intersects with Jawaharlal Nehru Boulevard. It is the symbol of the friendship of the two great leaders Jawaharla Nehru - Hồ Chí Minh and the friendship of India and Việt Nam.

Ambassador Pham Sanh Chau then cut the ribbon to inaugurate the newly restored name sign of a road named President Ho Chi Minh - "Ho Chi Minh Sarani".

This street was named by the West Bengal State government in 1968 at the height of the struggle against the US imperialists to unify the country of the Vietnamese people.

This is a special gesture of the people of West Bengal to show their support to the heroic and patriotic Vietnamese brothers. The road sign is very special with a three-roof design, first built by the Indo-Vietnam Solidarity Committee and Kolkata City Council in 1990, also on the occasion of his 100th birthday.

This road intersects with Jawaharlal Nehru Boulevard. It is the symbol of the friendship of the two great leaders Jawaharla Nehru - Ho Chi Minh and the friendship of India and Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh Sarani is one of the central streets in the city of Kolkata. The building located at No.1 Ho Chi Minh Sarani avenue is the Metro shopping mall, one of the most modern shopping malls in Kolkata. Photo: Vietnam's embassy in India

The newly restored name sign of Ho Chi Minh street unveiled. Photo: Vietnam's embassy in India

With a population of around 11 million, Kolkata city is India’s third largest city, as well as the capital of West Bengal state.

Given the fact that Kolkata used to be India’s captial during the British colonial period, Kokatans since 1945 have been strongly influenced and inspired by Vietnam's national liberation movement. Indians have since risen up to fight for independence and freed themselves from the British in 1947.

Kolkatans have a proverb that says “We might forget our father’s name, but we will never forget Vietnam”. With that in mind, Kolkatans always welcome Vietnamese visitors with a warm, enthusiastic spirit.

During the day, the Vietnamese Embassy in India coordinated with the Indo-Vietnam Solidarity Committee to release a documentary Uncle Ho and India as well as organize a seminar on related topics at the National Library of India in Kolkata.

More than 100 delegates from universities, research institutions, socio-political organizations, international friends and representatives of the Vietnamese community in Kolkata attended.

The documentary is the latest work documenting the historical stories of Uncle Ho who visited India three times, and his contributions that laid the foundation for the traditional relationship, friendship, and strategic cooperation comprehensively between these two countries today.

The relations between Vietnam and India today is a heart-to-heart relationship, built on the similarity of values ​​and ideas between Mahatma Gandhi and Ho Chi Minh, on the basis of the relationship. close relationship between President Ho Chi Minh and Prime Minister Jawarhalal Nehru.

Overview of the seminar. Photo: Vietnam's embassy in India

At the seminar, Indian scholars reviewed memorable historical events, assessed Ho Chi Minh as a patriot who fought hard for the cause of national liberation, but also a leader with great achievements. great international influence, guiding progressive movements in the region and the world.

However, what left the deepest impression on the people of Kolkata was that despite being a noble leader, Uncle Ho was extremely humble, simple and sincere. President Ho Chi Minh's style has become the symbol of the leader of the people, serving the people and devoting to them.

The Vietnam corner is the first such corner to be set up by a foreign country in the National Library, the largest library in India. Photo: Vietnam's embassy in India

On this occasion, the Embassy jointly donated books about Vietnam to the National Library of India in Kolkata. It is the largest library in India as well as in Asia with over 2.2 million books and documents. The National Library of India is one of four places set up a Vietnam Corner, which introduces books, newspapers, magazines and documents about Vietnam.

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