Jerusalem: Dina Simata, a blind Indianimmigrant, was one of the 14 people chosen to light the torch at Israel's 69th Independence Day celebrations.
Simata, 19, a member of the Bnei Menashe community who hails from Manipur, is a student and volunteer at Jerusalem's Institute for the Blind.
A gifted singer, Dina leads a group of disabled children at the Shalva institute, where she volunteers, and has performed in the company of several famous singers.
Chosen for her contribution to the society, Dina in her speech thanked the staff of the institute for "enabling her to achieve a meaningful existence."
Israel celebrated its 69th Independence Day on Monday following a day of remembrance in the memory of 23,544 men and women who have died defending the nation and the pre-state Jewish community since 1860.
