Japan Foreign Minister’s Commendation award for Ms. Ajanuo Belho, Director, Nagaland Tourism

NEW DELHI: The Japanese government has honored Ms. Ajanuo Belho, Director, Tourism Department, Nagaland with the conferral of the Foreign Minister’s Commendation award for FY 2021 in recognition of her support to Japan’s Recovery and Repatriation Missions for retrieving the bones of valiant Japanese soldiers buried in Kohima, Nagaland.

Bodies of the Japanese soldiers who had laid their lives in one of the stages of the Battle of Kohima, Nagaland during World War II, were buried here.

A related award conferral ceremony was held at the Embassy of Japan in New Delhi on November 11 when Ambassador Suzuki Satoshi handed over Ms. Ajanuo Belho the Foreign Minister’s Commendation award to her.

“You had been greatly contributing to Japan and the people of Japan through collecting bones of valiant Japanese soldiers buried in Kohima, Nagaland, which was one of the stages of the Battle of Kohima during World War Ⅱ. Since you started your activities in 1975, you had been supporting the Recovery and Repatriation Missions conducted by the Government of Japan in the 1970s and even recently in 2018 and 2019,” said Ambassador Suzuki Satoshi in his remarks in the honor of Ms. Belho.

“I truly express my gratitude for your generous support. Because of your warm support, many families of our Japanese soldiers could heal their hearts,” Ambassador added.

In April 2019, Madame Belho established the “Indo Japan Friendship Association, Nagaland” to promote youth and cultural exchanges to further friendship between Japan and India. It is expected that the association will continue to play a central role in cementing friendship between Japan and India in the future.

On the same day, Mrs. Saveena Gadhoke, Program Chairperson of Sogetsu School of Ikebana Delhi Chapter was also conferred upon the Foreign Minister’s Commendation award for FY 2021 in recognition of her long-standing contribution towards the promotion of Japanese Culture in India and strengthening the relationship between Japan and India through the activities to introduce Ikebana and Bonsai.

In her hoonour, Ambassador Satoshi said she has been earnestly dedicating herself towards the promotion of both Ikebana and Bonsai in India for decades.

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“Since you started the activities at Sogetsu School of Ikebana and Ikebana International early in the 1990s in Delhi, you have served in every possible capacity in promoting Ikebana culture to the younger generations of India, and in furthering mutual understanding between Japanese and Indian people.

One of your most commendable contributions was the goodwill demonstrations organized to support those who were afflicted by the Great East Japan Earthquake while you were serving as the President of Ikebana International 2 Delhi Chapter in 2011.”

Mrs. Saveena Gadhoke had also succeeded in facilitating the Ikebana International World Conventions held in Tokyo in 2012 as a member of the executive committee of the Convention. She has been contributing toward promoting awareness of Bonsai among the Indian people.

The first-ever International Bonsai Convention, held in Delhi in the early 2000s was so successful owing to her dedication as the President of the Indian Bonsai Association. The Bonsai culture has now steadily gotten rooted all over India.