Kite festival gets off to a flying start

Vibrant Gujarat Uttarayan 2004, the sequel to the 'Vibrant Gujarat-Global Investors' Summit 2003' held in September last, got underway in Ahmedabad on Monday with a mega cultural and musical event, accompanied with an international kite festival.

Over the next two days, the government of Gujarat will hold a series of meetings with the visiting non-resident Gujaratis (NRGs), who are back to their homeland to attend the 'Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas' and 'Uttarayan' celebrations.

The Police Stadium in Shahibaug, the venue of the kite festival, was jampacked as over 100 kite flyers from India and several other countries took part in the kite festival, the biggest held in Gujarat so far.

However, the highlight of the event was a musical presentation by singer Falguni Pathak and her troupe.

Pathak composed two songs specially for the event and sang these even as dozens of kites hovered over the stadium.

On Tuesday, the government of Gujarat will attempt to drive home gains of the Global Investors' Summit by organising a series of seminars, one-to-one business meetings and exhibitions at the University Ground with the aim to enhance the flow of investments into the state.

The function on Monday was attended among others by the state governor Kailashpati Mishra, chief minister Narendra Modi and Essar group chairman Shashi Ruia.

A host of prominent personalities, including film stars, cricketers and television artists were present.

Prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is scheduled to be present at the inaugural function of the 'Vishwa Gujarati Parivaar Mahotsav' that begins on Tuesday at the University grounds.

The entire state Cabinet, top officials and all BJP MLAs were seen at the function apart from leading industrialists of the state.

Speaking as the guest of honour, Ruia said the Essar group is proud to be associated with the event, which should be used to forge greater social harmony and economic prosperity.

The Essar group is sponsoring the three-day event, where the state government is marketing the Uttarayan festival in a big way with the aim to bring in investments.

A total of 66 international kite flying experts from a number of countries including Israel, China, Malaysia, Germany, the US, Canada, France, Netherlands, Brazil and England are in Ahmedabad to participate in the festival this year.

Narendra Modi said looking at the response that the kite festival has received, it can be converted into an international festival. Modi and his Cabinet colleagues were also seen flying kites.

At the stadium several multi-coloured kites were flown by Indian and international kite enthusiasts.