Today is India's Independence day and the event is being celebrated in Waterford city for the first time.
Indian communities across the world today celebrate their independence from the United Kingdom in 1947
The day is marked every year at the home of the Indian ambassador in Dublin however this year, for the first time, an event was also held here in Waterford.
Members of the Indian community as well as people from other countries such as Pakistan and Nigeria, gathered at St Josephs and Benildus this afternoon to mark the day.
Speakers talked about the link between Waterford and India, most notably the Indian Flag which is based on the Irish flag, designed by Waterford man Thomas Francis Meagher.
Minister of State for Local Government and Electoral Reform John Paul Phelan said: "We have all become increasingly aware over the last few of years of the importance of the Indian community in Ireland most notably in terms of health care provision. There was a lot of contact between the Irish independence movement and the Indian independence movement 100 years ago and there are similarities in terms of our ex-colonial history, so it is good to mark the occasion of a community that is getting bigger and plays such an important role in everyday Irish life."
