Farewell to Ambassador Ms. Murugesan Manimekalai

Η.Ε. Ms. Murugesan Manimekalai completed her brief two-year mission as India’s Ambassador to Greece and returns home after her retirement in late August 2017. On the occasion of her forthcoming departure, the First Secretary of the Embassy of India, Mr. Ram Verma, and his wife, Mrs. Kamlesh Verma, organized a farewell reception at their residence which was attended by members of the Indian community, while the Hellenic-Indian Society for  Culture and Development (ELINEPA) was represented by musician Kostas Kalaitzis and artist Marilena Sapountzi.

Ms. Manimekalai was the first woman to serve as Ambassador of India to Greece and showed particular interest in the promotion of Indian culture in Greece. She supported the cultural events co-organized by the Indian Embassy and ELINEPA for the great personalities of modern India, such as Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Dr Bimrao Ambedkar as well as for the Constitution of India.

Ms. Manimekalai represented India at the First Forum of Ancient Civilizations organized by the Foreign Ministry of Greece, and she also participated in a number of other Greek-Indian cultural and artistic events such as the organization of International Yoga Day, the Bollywood and Intercultural Dance Festival, etc.

In the financial sector, the biggest events that marked her term were the signing of the agreement for the direct air link between Greece and India, the Greek-Indian cooperation for the construction of the new airport in Kastelli, Heraklion and the selection of India as a honored country at the Thessaloniki International Fair in 2019.

The presence of Ms. Manimekalai in Greece has been particularly dear and her valuable work and support contributed to the further improvement of the Greek-Indian relations that we desire to continue and develop further. To the outgoing Ambassador, the President Dr Dimitrios Vassiliadis and the members of the Board of Directors of ELINEPA wish good health, longevity and personal happiness.