The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) joined the Indian community at the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU)-Uganda Campus in Jinja to commemorate India’s 80th Independence Day.
The celebrations also marked the 150th anniversary of India’s national song, Vande Mataram, which was commemorated across the country with patriotic fervour.
The event was attended by NFSU management, students, course participants, members of the Indian community and UPDF officers. The Chief Guest was the Commandant of the National Defence College-Uganda (NDC-U), Brigadier General Alex Olupot Opolot.
Brig Gen Olupot thanked the NFSU campus leadership, course participants and students for attending the celebrations and for inviting the UPDF to be part of the occasion.
He commended the university for providing a platform that enables Ugandans to participate in activities celebrating India’s independence and strengthening people-to-people relations between Uganda and India.
“I am privileged to interact with the management of NFSU and the Indian community in many aspects of life,” Brig Gen Olupot said.
He noted that the Indian community has made significant contributions to Uganda’s socio-economic development, particularly through investments in industries and healthcare.
He said these investments are a result of the longstanding cooperation and partnership between the governments of Uganda and India.
The NFSU Campus Director, Air Commodore Thaakar, highlighted the longstanding people-to-people relations between Uganda and India, their shared colonial history and independence struggles, as well as the aspirations of the two countries’ youth.
Speaking about independence, Air Commodore Thaakar said both India and Uganda continue to enjoy the benefits of freedom, but warned that nations must remain vigilant against emerging threats.
NFSU is a specialised university dedicated to forensic science and related disciplines. The university offers more than 70 postgraduate programmes covering various branches of forensic science and conducts specialised training programmes for participants from about 95 countries.
The institution was founded under the leadership of Dr J.M. Vyas, its Chancellor and a senior Indian forensic scientist with more than five decades of experience in the field.
