Independence Day: NASDAQ turns saffron, white and green

NEW YORK: NASDAQ in the heart of Times Square here opened its day with the colours of the Indian flag as Consul General Prabhu Dayal rang the opening bell at the stock exchange today celebrating India's 66th Independence Day.

This was the fourth consecutive year that the Indian Consul General has presided over the bell ceremony at NASDAQ on this occasion.

The NASDAQ billboard flashed the Indian tri-colour accompanied with the words 'Nasdaq celebrates India's Independence Day'.

As Dayal rang the opening bell at 9:30 am, billboards across Times Square displayed images of the tricolour.

The event was attended by Consulate officials as well as by members of the Indian community.

Speaking on the occasion, Dayal said, "NASDAQ has organised this event to celebrate India's independence day which indicated the ever growing relationship between NASDAQ and Indian companies.

"NASDAQ's gesture is in recognition of the fact that India has become a global powerhouse".

Indian companies like Infosys, Cognizant, Rediff, Makemytrip and Sify are members of the NASDAQ 100 index which is one of the most prestigious and widely followed indices of the world.

Dayal said the strong relations between India and the US are at an "all time best".

The two countries have worked very closely to take relations to a new level and the Indian-American community has acted as a bridge, he added.

The Consul General said as the global economic meltdown of 2008 continues to cast a long shadow on the world, India and the US are working to overcome these global challenges.

He called on NASDAQ to encourage foreign firms to invest in India's growing infrastructure sector.

He expressed confidence that NASDAQ would continue to focus the interest of investors on the opportunities provided by India and play a positive role in the growth of the Indian economy.

India's Permanent Mission to the UN held a flag hoisting ceremony where Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri unfurled the flag and read out President Pranab Mukherjee's message to the nation.