Over 300 people attended the remembrance day service organised by India in the Netherlands to honour the sacrifices made by commonwealth forces during the two world wars.
The event was organised by the Embassy of India at the Westduin Cemetery in the Hague yesterday, an official release issued today said.
"The ceremony was attended by over 300 people despite inclement weather," it said.
Ambassador of India to the Netherlands Venu Rajamony laid a wreath on the memorial on behalf of the commonwealth countries.
Rajamony also read a poem 'The Gift of India' by Indian poet Sarojini Naidu and spoke about the contribution of Indian soldiers in the first and second world war.
He said that the forces of undivided India played a significant part in both world wars and her 163,000 dead are buried and commemorated in war cemeteries spread across 60 countries.
"Despite the harsh weather and myriad of obstacles, Indian soldiers fought bravely with a sense of duty towards their regiment and for izzat (honour)," Rajamony said.
He was joined by Roelof van Ees Director of Protocol, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of the Netherlands, Ambassadors of Belgium, Ireland, Australia, Russia, New Zealand, Ghana and Venezuela and representatives of South Africa, Cyprus, Kenya, Canada and Saudi Arabia, the release said.
The ceremony was organised on behalf of Commonwealth- Netherlands Joint Committee of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The committee organises the remembrance day ceremony annually and different embassies host the event in turns. This year it was the turn of the Embassy of India.
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