India’s 80th Independence Day was marked in Budapest on 15 August with a ceremony that celebrated not only India’s freedom, but also the longstanding cultural links between India and Hungary.
The flag was hoisted at 9 AM at the Embassy of India, followed by a performance of Vande Mataram, India’s national song, by Hungarian friends of India alongside members of the Indian community. Certificates of Appreciation were also presented beside the flagpole.
The ceremony is featured in a new video produced by Magyar Minute, including an exclusive one-on-one interview with Indian Ambassador to Hungary Anshuman Gaur.
‘Life is dear, but liberty is dearer’
One of the most striking elements of the celebration was the distinctly Hungarian thread running through the event. Ahead of the flag-hoisting ceremony, the embassy quoted Hungarian poet Sándor Petőfi, whose famous words – “life is dear, but liberty is dearer” – were presented as a message that resonates with both nations.
The connection between the two countries was also reflected in the cultural centre of the Indian Embassy in Budapest, which bears the name of Amrita Sher-Gil, one of India’s most celebrated modern artists.
Sher-Gil was born in Budapest on 30 January 1913 to a Hungarian mother and Sikh father. She later became a major figure in Indian art, and in 1976 the Archaeological Survey of India designated her works as National Art Treasures, meaning paintings held in India cannot be taken out of the country.
Ambassador speaks about India, Hungary and freedom
In the interview, Ambassador Anshuman Gaur reflects on what India’s Independence Day means to him personally and what he hopes Hungarians will understand about his country.
Gaur has been a member of the Indian Foreign Service since 2001 and served as India’s Chief of Protocol between 2022 and 2025. He is also a published poet: his collection Isthmus of Time was launched in New Delhi in July 2017 by then Vice President M. Hamid Ansari.
The ambassador concludes the interview with a recitation of verses by renowned Indian poet Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, conveying the idea that Bharat is not simply the name of a territory, but the spirit of freedom and democracy within its people.
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80 years of Indian independence
India’s 80th Independence Day marks 79 completed years since the country gained independence from British rule on 15 August 1947.
The celebrations in Budapest also highlighted the importance of Vande Mataram, which first appeared in print in the Bengali journal Bangadarshan in November 1875. The song marked its 150th anniversary on 7 November 2025, with a year-long commemorative programme running until 7 November 2026.
The Indian community in Hungary has also grown significantly over recent years. According to the embassy, around 8,700 Indian nationals live in Hungary, including more than 2,000 in Budapest. Approximately 1,200 Indian students are studying in Budapest, Pécs, Szeged, Miskolc and Debrecen.
The ceremony therefore offered more than a traditional Independence Day celebration: it provided a glimpse into the cultural connections that have brought Indian and Hungarian communities closer together.
Watch the full interview and Independence Day ceremony in the video above. The video features English, Hungarian, Italian, German and Chinese selectable subtitle tracks, with the Hindi-language sections translated into each language.
This article is produced in partnership with Magyar Minute.
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