It is indeed a privilege for me to participate in this inauguration of the "Vivekananda Sabhagar” at Kathak Kendra. I take this opportunity to congratulate Shri Mahesh Sharma, Minister for Culture, Shri N.K. Sinha, Secretary (Culture) and Shri Shekhar Sen, the Chairman of Sangeet Natak Akademi.

Vice chancellors of central universities, Directors of IITs, NITs, IISc/ IISERs, SPAs, IIITs, NIPERs;

Heads of other institutes and civil service academies;

Faculty members;

Officer trainees of various civil services;

My dear students:

Fellow citizens:

1. On the eve of sixty-ninth anniversary of our Independence, I extend warm greetings to all my brothers and sisters in the country and abroad.

সমবেত সুধীজন,

1. আজ আকাশবাণী মৈত্রী চ্যানেলের উদ্বোধনী অনুষ্ঠানে উপস্থিত থাকতে পেরে আমি আনন্দিত।এই চ্যানেলটির সূচনার মাধ্যমে ভারত ও বাংলাদেশের সম্পর্কে এক নতুন অধ্যায় সংযোজিত হতে চলেছে।আকাশবাণী মৈত্রী হল আকাশবাণীর এক অভিনব প্রয়াস যা কেবলমাত্র পশ্চিমবঙ্গ, বাংলাদেশ ও পার্শ্ববর্তী অঞ্চলগুলিতেই নয়, বিশ্বের বিভিন্ন প্রান্তের বাঙালিদের কাছে পৌঁছবে।

1.I am indeed very happy to have this opportunity to inaugurate this new office building that will house the Bharat Chamber of Commerce. I congratulate you on having your own office building. The Bharat Chamber of Commerce is one of India’s oldest chambers with a history going back to the year 1900 when it was formed as an Association of Merchants belonging to a particular community.

It gives me great pleasure to be here today for the first Convocation of the Nalanda University. It is personally a proud moment for me as the idea to revive Nalanda University took shape during my years at the South Block as the External Affairs Minister during 2006 to 2009. I had the special privilege of being closely involved with it during its gestation period.

I am happy to be in Bangalore today to attend the Convocation of this prestigious law school.

Your Excellency U Htin Kyaw, President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar,

Daw Su Su Lwin,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It gives me immense pleasure to welcome Your Excellency, Mr. President, Daw Su Su Lwin and your distinguished delegation to India.

Excellency,

1. I have immense pleasure in welcoming you to the Annual General Meeting of the IndianRed Cross Society and St. John Ambulance (India).

1. It gives me great pleasure to extend a warm welcome to you and your distinguished delegation. I had the privilege of receiving you at the Rashtrapati Bhavan not so long ago, last October, when India hosted the Third India-Africa Forum Summit.