Gandhi, Shastri Jayanti observed with meaningful celebrations CH NEWS
VIJAYAPURA The birth anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri were observed with a series of programmes highlighting their ideals at Gandhi Bhavan. The district administration and Zilla Panchayat jointly organised the celebrations on Zilla Panchayat Road. Urban Development Authority Chairman Gangadhar Sambanni, Deputy Commissioner Dr K. Anand, Zilla Panchayat CEO Anand Prakash Meena and Sub-Divisional Officer Jufishan Haq inaugurated the programme by spinning the charkha. The dignitaries later offered floral tributes to the portraits of Gandhi and Shastri. Singer Veeresh Wali and his team presented Vande Mataram and the State anthem, followed by renditions of Gandhi’s favourite bhajans, Raghupati Raghava Rajaram and Vaishnava Janato. A special Sarva Dharma prayer was organised to promote communal harmony, peace and mutual respect. Raghottam Arjunagi recited verses from the Bhagavad Gita, while Hazrat Sufi Dr Hayat Rozindar Saheb recited verses from the Quran. Rev. Dr S. Vilas of Zion Ministries read from the Bible, Abhay Porwal offered a Jain prayer and Pratap Chikkalaki of the Buddha Vihara Construction Committee presented a Buddhist prayer. Prizes and certificates were presented to students who secured positions in the district-level essay competition organised by the Department of Information and Public Relations as part of the Jayanti celebrations. The competition was held for students from high schools, pre-university colleges and undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Dr Madhava H. Gudi delivered a special lecture on the lives and ideals of Gandhi and Shastri. Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Commissioner Dr K. Anand said Gandhi’s principles of non-violence and Satyagraha, along with Shastri’s simplicity and the message of “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan”, continued to offer guidance to the younger generation. Officials from various departments, students from schools and colleges and members of the public participated in the celebrations in large numbers.
