Consulate General of India

Haryana Day 2025

Hugh Jones MLA
Matt Keogh MP
Logan Howlett Mayor of Cockburn
Deepak Sharma President of ISWA
Office-bearers of Indian associations
Members of the Indian community and friends of India,
Kaya, namaste, sat sri akal, assalam alaikum, and a very good evening.

I would like to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land the Whadjuk people of the Noongar nation and pay my respects to their Elders - past, present, and emerging.

Congratulations to the Haryanvi Association of Western Australia for observing Haryana Day in the city of Perth. It is my pleasure to join you in celebrating the historic moment on 1 November, 1966 when the independent state of Haryana was formed on the basis of the majority language spoken by the people.

Everyone today recognizes the state of Haryana as home to Gurgaon, one of India’s largest hubs for the financial, automotive and information technology sectors. People and companies from all over India and the world continue to converge on Gurgaon, making their home and workplace. The state is both an industrial powerhouse with 23 Special Economic Zones as well as a major contributor to agricultural production in India.

The state of Haryana also occupies a very special place in the history of India, both ancient and modern. The villages of Rakhigarhi in Hisar district and Bhirrana in Fatehabad district are home to ancient sites of the Indus Valley Civilization, some of them bearing evidence of human civilization as old as 5000 to 3000 years old!

The city of Kurukshetra is believed to be associated with the area named after King Kuru in the Indian epic, Mahabharata. The Kurukshetra War as depicted in the Mahabharata is believed to have taken place here. Thaneswar, whose urban area is merged with Kurukshetra, is a pilgrimage site with many locations attributed to many legends recorded in the epic. Jyotisar is similarly revered as the place where Lord Krishna delivered the sacred Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna.

Similarly Panipat in Haryana was witness to some of the most crucial battles that shaped the political and civilizational destiny of northern India.

It is a land of farmers, warriors and entrepreneurs, and the contribution of the people of Haryana to the history, culture and economic growth of India continues to be of vital importance. Your journey in Australia and your many successes in the various fields of work is an extension of our discipline and hard work. I thank the people of Western Australia for offering the opportunities for our people to excel and contribute, and to build a home in your midst.

I salute all of you gathered here together on this special day and look forward to the cultural performances lined up for the evening.

Thank you and Namste.