Honorary Consular Corps Diplomatique – India to celebrate Consular Day on March 30

NEW DELHI: The Honorary Consuls Generals and Consuls from across India would gather in New Delhi on March 30 to celebrate Consular Day.

To be organised by the Honorary Consular Corps Diplomatique (HCCD) – India, this grand event would witness Ms. Meenakshi Lekhi, Minister of State Foreign External Affairs & Culture as the chief guest.

The HCCD-India would also honour an NGO with “Vivek Burman (Dabur) Peace Prize on this occasion. This Peace Prize, which carries an award of Rs. 7 Lakhs and a citation, is given to an NGO or individual who may have done extraordinary work in the field of social service.

Ms. Meenakshi Lekhi would give away the prize to the NGO representative.

As many as 139 Honorary Consuls Generals and Consuls based in Delhi, Chennai, Goa, Kolkata and Mumbai are members of HCCD-INDIA.

The Board of Directors include President Hon’ble Mr. K.L. Ganju, Hony. Consul General and Advisor to the Foreign Minister of Union of Comoros, President Emeritus Hon’ble Mr. Vivek Burman, Hony. Consul General, Republic of Nicaragua, Sr. Vice President Hon’ble Mr. Vijay Goverdhandas Kalantri, Hony. Consul of Uzbekistan, and Vice Presidents Hon’ble Mr. Meiyappan Balasubramanian, Hony. Consul of Paraguay, Vikram Viswanath, Hony. Consul of Peru, Hon’ble Mr. Vikramjit Singh Sahney, Padma Shri Hony. Consul General of South Africa and Hon’ble Mr. Surat Singh Malhotra Hony. Consul of Lesotho.

Hony, Consul of Moldova Hon’ble Mr. Purrshottam Bhaggeria is the Secretary Geneal of HCCD-India while Hony. Consul of Bahamas Hon’ble Mr. Ashish Saraf is the treasurer.

The HCCD-India directors include Hon’ble Mr. T. Shanta Kumar Hony. Consul of Malta,

Hon’ble Mr. Gul Rupchand Kripalani Hony. Consul General of Iceland, Hon’ble Mr. Ramanathan Muthu Hony. Consul of Switzerland, Hon’ble Mr. Desh B. Sahae Hony. Consul of the Kingdom of Tonga, Hon’ble Mrs. Surbhi Sharma Hony. Consul of Spain Hon’ble Mr. Pavan Morarka, Hony. Consul of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Hon’ble Mr. Kamal Krishan Singh Hony. Consul of Ukraine, Hon’ble Mr. Ramavtar Goenka Hony. Consul of Kenya, Hon’ble Mr. Paresh Kirtilal Mehta Hony. Consul of Nicaragua Hon’ble Mr. Mahendra K. Sanghi Hony. Consul of Kazakhstan Hon’ble Dr. Yashwanth Kumar Venkataraman Hony. Consul of El Salvador Hon’ble Mr. Lion Kiron Hony. Consul of Bulgaria, Hon’ble Mr.Rakesh Bharti Mittal Hony. Consul of Sierra Leone, Hon’ble Mr. Jagdip Singh Hony. Consul of the Republic of Korea Hon’ble, Mr. Arvind Gupta Hony. Consul of the Macedonia Hon’ble Mr.Sunil Kanoria Hony. Consul of the Republic of Spain, and Hon’ble Mr. Mohan Suresh Hony. Consul of Rwanda.

Formed in 1995, the Honorary Consular Corps Diplomatique-India (HCCD-India) to promote and strengthen mutual understanding between Honorary Consular officers in India and Abroad. It also aims to develop a framework and basis for exchange of information, ideas and suggestions, regarding matters related to the offices of Honorary Consuls General & Honorary Consuls, and also to promote at the National and International level better understanding of the duties, rights, functions, obligations and privileges of the consular office and its incumbents, entrusted to fulfil and enhance their important role in International relations.

The founding members of HCCD-India were the Honourable (Late) Dr Bhai Mohan Singh (Honorary Consul General of San Marino in India) and the Honourable Mr Kartar Singh Bhalla (Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Nauru in India).

The Hon’ble (Late) Dr. Bhai Mohan Singh (Honorary Consul General of San Marino in India) was the founder President of HCCD-India and the Hon’ble Mr Kartar Singh Bhalla (‘Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Nauru in India’) was the founding Secretary General.

The second president of HCCD-INDIA was The Hon’ble. Mr. Vivek Burman (Honorary Consul General of Nicaragua). The Hon’ble Mr. K L Ganju (Honorary Consul General of Comoros), has taken over from The Hon’ble Mr Vivek Burman as the Third President of HCCD-INDIA. The Hon’ble Mr Ganju has been President from 2019.