Bapuji’s birth anniversary celebrated

Tirupati: The 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi observed with solemnity in the pilgrim city on Tuesday. Government institutions, political parties and social organisations have joined in the celebrations to pay rich tributes to Mahatma and recalled his matchless contribution to India’s freedom struggle. 

TTD Executive Officer Anil Kumar Singhal along with senior official paid floral tributes to the portrait of Gandhi in the main office conference hall while APSPDCL Chairman and Managing Director MM Naik called on the youth following the path of non-violence and peace. Gandhi Jayanthi was celebrated in SPDCL corporate office here. 

Gandhi Jayanthi was observed in Tirupati Urban SP office, SVIMS, TUDA, Municipal Corporation of Tirupati office, SV University and other government institutions and also in Gandhi Bhavan Trust, a city based social organisation founded by freedom fighters from Tirupati area.  

In a laudable gesture, Central Crime Station (CCS) DSP Ravisankar Reddy took up the renovation of Gandhi Bhavan Trust (GBT), located on Narasimha Theertham Road here giving a new look to the Bhavan premises.

Speaking at the Gandhi Jayanthi celebrations held in GBT, its secretary T Venkatramana and Mahila Congress leaders K Pramellamma, who hails from prominent freedom fighter Nagari Varadhachari family, said that efforts are on to rejuvenate GBT to realise the aspirations of the freedom fighters, who founded GBT fifty years back.

GBT was founded by a group of freedom fighters including former Lok Sabha Speaker Madabhushi Ananthasayanam Ayyangar, Reddivari Nadhamuni Reddy, Madiraju Subramanya Raju and others to propagate Gandhian principles.  

However, GBT remaining inactive with the founders passed away. Meanwhile, various Dalit organisations jointly held a rally titled as ‘Samajika Parivarthana Rally’ in the city seeking a change in the society to ensure equality and social justice, on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanthi.

Congress activists led by district president Venugopal Reddy took up distribution of pamphlets stressing on bringing back the Congress to power to realise the dream of Mahatma. On the occasion, a state-wide ‘Intinta Indiramma Rajyam,’ a mass contact programme launched.