When the Prime Minister of India recently mentioned to his countrymen the oath taking ceremony of the President of the Republic of Suriname, it is interesting to see how a quite natural and almost unnoticed detail of reciting a hymn from the Rig Veda, caught international attention. In Suriname, a country with a multi-ethnic and multi-religious population, almost 36% is of Indian Origin and official ceremonies usually are accompanied by expressed blessings. The official language of this country is Dutch
-H E Ms Aashna Kanhai, Ambassador of Suriname to India
