For decades, the small community of Indian businessmen and their respective families in Bacolod City have been quietly doing their share in civic activities designed to help improve the quality of life in a marginalized part of the city.

The Association of Filipino-Indians in Negros Occidental has been funding the Purok Langis Day Care Center in Barangay Banago. Ajit Gidwani, newly re-elected president of AFINO, said the school is presently serving 65 pre-school children.

Elected with Gidwani in their Jan. 21 election were Prem Amarnani, who succees Lachu Buxani as secretary, and Sunder Nandwani, who assumes the treasurer’s responsibility from Kumar Amarnani.

The pre-school program is among the civic activities of AFINO, which also provides  assistance to victims of calamities in the province.

While they may not be formally celebrate the India Republic Day today, he said, they join their countrymen and women in mind and spirit during this national holiday.

Indians remember today the declaration of their republic in 1950 following its independence of their country in 1947 after being under great Britain for almost 90 years.

India is the second most populous country in the world with  about 1.15 billion people and has grown significantly in the last 20 years as it gained strides in economic and industrial endeavors.

The AFINO has set up its temple in Taculing and continues to observe important celebrations of their culture – like the Diwali, or the Festival of Lights, which they celebrated last week of October, and Holi the Indian Festival of Colors in March this year said Indian families in Bacolod City usually celebrate holi outdoors, like at the beach, where young members paint colors on siblings, their parents and others.

The Indian community in Bacolod and Negros Occidental, including small traders, who are not AFINO members, number more than 150 with another 40-plus individuals seeking an extension of their visa, the local immigration office said.

Gidwani said among the Indian-owned businesses in Bacolod is the New India Assurance Company, Ltd, the largest non-life insurance company in India which is owned by the government. The company operates in about 30 countries and covers services for homes, industries, cars, liabilities, health, overseas medical claim, engineering, personal and other forms of insurance.