Chennai : The U S Consulate General in Chennai celebrated the 246th anniversary of U S independence as well as 75 years of U S-India partnership in Chennai. A press release said that Consul General Judith Ravin was the master of ceremonies. Acting Deputy Chief of Mission (A/DCM) for the U S Embassy in New Delhi Brian Heath presided over the celebration this year from the Consul General’s residence in Chennai, while Minister for Department of Industries, Tamil Official Language, Tamil Culture, and Archeology Thangam Thennarasu and Minister for Finance and Human Resources Management Dr Palanivel Thiaga Rajan attended as Chief Guests representing the government of Tamilnadu. Heath addressed the guests and spoke about the strong bond between the United States and India. He said,“United in this shared vision, we are tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges together. Our partnership at 75 demonstrates how vital U S-India cooperation has been in realizing a more prosperous, free, connected, and secure world and how much potential there is for our partnership to grow further.”
Thangam Thennarasu invited U S businesses to invest in the state. He said,“Tamilnadu has some natural advantages in seaports and airports and is strategically placed for industrial growth. The state is now a preferred destination for investment because of the progressive and proactive government.” Palanivel Thiaga Rajan commented that the years he spent in the United States helped shape his life. “In a lot of ways, America gave me a special kind of niche. People-to-people connect runs a lot deeper and we are sure these ties will grow and strengthen the U.S.-India relationship,” he said.