India, May 31 -- The lawns of the Embassy of Italy transformed into a cultural hotspot on Friday evening as the Capital's elite gathered to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Italian Republic (which falls on June 2, officially). The evening kicked off with speeches from the host, the Ambassador of India to Italy, Antonio Bartoli and the evening's Chief Guest, Minister of State for Tourism & Petroleum and Natural Gas, Suressh Gopi. Bartoli said, "We are two democracies, heirs to ancient civilisations and interested in trade and connectivity." Gopi later shared, "Today was an incredible evening celebrating the rich cultural heritage and growing diplomatic ties." Following the addresses, the gathering took a filmy turn. Guests cheered as the Ambassador's wife, Ester Denaro, along with a group, performed to desi tunes like Sapphire and Gallan Goodiyan dressed in an Indian attire. During PM Narendra Modi's recent visit to Rome, he gave a packet of popular 'Melody' toffees to Italian PM Giorgia Meloni. This was a fun, sweet nod to their internet nickname, 'Melodi.' Copying the moment,guests were given Melody toffees as a playful gesture....