6-Aug-2022: Prime Minister addresses the 3rd meeting of National Committee on “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav”

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the 3rd National Committee meeting on Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav in New Delhi today. Various members of the National Committee attended the meeting including Lok Sabha Speaker, Governors, Union Ministers, Chief Ministers, political leaders, officials, media personalities, Spiritual Leaders, artists and film personalities and eminent persons from other walks of life. Several participants also joined the meeting virtually. Secretary Culture, Shri Govind Mohan gave a presentation on the overview of activities of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav since its inception.

The first meeting of the National Committee was held on 8th March 2021 before the launch of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav by the Prime Minister on 12th March 2021. The second meeting of the committee was held on 22nd December, 2021.

Addressing on the occasion, the Prime Minister said that the success of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav is due to the contribution of every citizen of the country. The committees at national, state and district levels have been working day and night to take Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to the masses, he said.

The Prime Minister said that the emotional flavour of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav is the core of the campaign. The patriotic fervour which was witnessed during the freedom struggle was unprecedented. It is the same fervour which we need to imbibe in our current generation and channelize it for nation building, the Prime Minster added. He further said that the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is creating an atmosphere of patriotic zeal in the country and it is a golden opportunity to establish the emotional connect of our youth with nation building.

In this backdrop, the Prime Minister said, AKAM is a Sanskar Utsav for the youth which will fill them with the undying passion to contribute for the country. The current generation will be the leaders of tomorrow and therefore we have to inculcate in them now a sense of duty and responsibility to realise the dreams and vision of India@100. The Prime Minister further said that the technological revolution has stepped up the speed of change tremendously. What could be achieved in generations, can be made possible in decades now. We cannot rely on old techniques to realize dreams of our nation. It is therefore important to build the capacity of the youth and to equip them with the necessary skills to meet the technological challenges of times to come.

Highlighting the contribution of tribal freedom fighters, the Prime Minister said that we should pay our tribute to them by building local tribal museums. He suggested that the border village programme should be taken up for the youth to familiarise them with the life of the people residing in the last mile of the country. Similarly, the programme to construct 75 Sarovars in every district and similar such programmes should be designed for the grass root which are conducive for water and environment conservation. The youth should be familiarized with such programmes to help them understand the ground realities of the country, the Prime Minister explained.

In his closing remarks, the Prime Minister said that we must nourish and nurture our unity and promote India as Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat because a united nation is a progressive nation. In this light, our national flag Tiranga is a symbol of unity, a unity which brings positivity and prosperity for the nation, he said. The Prime Minister said that we are passing through a period of Amrit Kaal marked by the spirit of Sankalp se Siddhi which will take our country to the peak of success in the next 25 years. He once again requested the committee members to send their suggestions for further enriching Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

The members of the committee thanked the Prime Minister for the organization of the “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav”. They gave an overview of the activities taken up by them under Amrit Mahotsav and also gave their suggestions and inputs to further strengthen the campaign. Union Minister Shri Amit Shah welcomed the committee members to the third meeting of the National Committee of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. Shri Amit Shah explained that more than 60 thousand programmes have been organized successfully in the country till date and AKAM programme has percolated down from the national to the state, district and grassroot level. In his concluding remarks, he expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister and the members of National Committee for giving their valuable suggestions and time.

5-Aug-2022: ‘Badhe Chalo’ Movement under Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav begins

With the objective of connecting with the youth of the nation, and to instill a deeper sense of patriotism among them, the Ministry of Culture, has decided to create a youth centric activation for greater outreach of Amrit Mahotsav named ‘Badhe Chalo’. It is designed to involve the youth of the country encouraging them to come forward and imbibe the true spirit of our democracy and celebrate 75 years of India’s independence with youthful fervour.

‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ is an initiative of the Government to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of progressive India and the glorious history of its people, culture and achievements. Ministry of Culture is responsible for promoting art and cultural heritage in India and it has taken many initiatives under the aegis of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’.

Through this mass movement or ‘Jan Bhagidari’ initiative, the Ministry of Culture also intends to amplify and support the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ movement. This movement has been initiated by the Honourable Prime Minister and Home Minister and it calls upon every Indian to hoist a Tiranga in their homes between August 13th– 15th, 2022.

To connect and to bring the youth and people together from across the country on one platform, Badhe Chalo will feature Flash Dances, where dancers will perform on a specially created ‘Youth Anthem’. The energetic foot-tapping anthem has been specially written and composed on the theme of ‘Badhe Chalo’ and it encourages everyone to come forward and hoist a Tiranga in their homes. This trendy and youthful activation will feature Flash Dances happening across 75 cities, at prime locations all over India. Through these Flash Dances the Ministry aims to spread the message and spirit of the Amrit Mahotsav in an entertaining and enthusiastic manner.

Badhe Chalo is being held across 10 cities every day from 5th August to 11th August, 2022. These events will culminate with a Grand Finale on 12th August, 2022at Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi. This spectacular star-studded event will feature performances by the Indian Idol stars Pawandeep Rajan and Arunita Kanjilal.

Badhe Chalo took off today at national level starting with ten locations that include Lal Chowk in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, Ashtley Hall in Dehra Dun, Uttarakhand, Akashdeep Market in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, Central Mall in Patna, Bihar, Telibandha Talab in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, CMR Mall in Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, Gaurav Tower in Jaipur, Rajasthan, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Gujarat, Keshav Vatika in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, & Alpha One Mall in Ahmedabad, Gujarat,  energising the youth of our nation and creating connect with them on a patriotic plane.

Badhe Chalo is sure to rekindle the fire of patriotism in one and all, while encouraging us to hoist a Tiranga in our homes with swelling national pride in our hearts, and our heads held high.

26-Apr-2022: “Kisan Bhagidari, Prathmikta Hamari” Campaign under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav launched by Union Agriculture Minister

While launching the “Kisan Bhagidari, Prathmikta Hamari” Campaign under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (25th- 30th April 2022) Union Agriculture Minister interacted with farmers across the country who were present in Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) in towns and cities in various states across India. The purpose of the interaction was to make farmers aware of flagship schemes of Government of India and to assess the achievements and benefits that the farmers are gaining at the grassroots.

While interacting with farmers the Agriculture Minister outlined Prime Minister’s vision for the Agriculture Sector which is the backbone of the country. He said that the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi is an example of transparency with the help of technology. He said while subsidies are given by states and central government ‘Aatmanirbharta’ is necessary for which adoption of technology, diversification of crops and maintaining quality in the export market is necessary.

The Minister told farmers that they should be willing to experiment and change with the times, they should be willing to use new variety of seeds, test the quality of their soil, join Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and utilize technology including drones. Farmers should also be willing to come under the protective shield of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). On Natural Farming the Minister stated that it is being promoted and ICAR is including it in the syllabus.

Shri Tomar said that KVKs and Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) are doing their best to take the developed technologies to the farming community. KVKs are pioneers in agricultural progress, having direct contact with the farmers. He said that in the year 2021-22, the export of agriculture and allied sector products was about four lakh crore rupees. In which the contribution of the farmers is commendable. The relentless hard work of the farmers, the skill of the scientists and the farmers' friendly policies of the government are yielding results and income of farmers is also increasing continuously, which has also been revealed during the interaction with the farmers present at various KVKs across the country during today’s inaugural campaign.

Union Minister of State for Agriculture Shri Kailash Chaudhary said that during the interaction with farmers across the KVKs he was happy to note that some farmers have more than doubled their income in recent times.

"Kisan Bhagidari Prathmikta Hamari" campaign is being dedicated to strengthen the farming community. The campaign was launched by Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar. In this, lakhs of farmers, many MPs and other public representatives and scientists participated through fairs in 731 Krishi Vigyan Kendras and other agricultural institutions across the country.

As part of "Kisan Bhagidari Prathmikta Hamari" Krishi Mela at each KVK was organised today in association with ATMA. Awareness programmes on Organic Farming, Natural Farming, Startups, APMCs, e-NAM, FPOs were also organised. Seminars, workshops on horticulture activities were also conducted.

Union Agriculture Secretary Shri Manoj Ahuja, Director General of ICAR Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra expressed their views during the inaugural session. Joint Secretary Shri Samuel Praveen Kumar conducted the proceedings. Joint Secretary Shri Ritesh Chauhan proposed vote of thanks. Various central ministries are involved in this campaign.

24-Apr-2022: ‘Kisan Bhagidari, Prathmikta Hamari' to be organized from 25th April to 30th April 2022 as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav

Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is organizing the 'Kisan Bhagidari, Prathmikta Hamari’ campaign from 25th to 30th April, 2022 under 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' in association of various other Ministries/ Departments of Government of India. During the campaign, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare will organize countrywide programs at regional level for farmers.

The Department of Agriculture Research and Education would be organising a Krishi Mela at each Krishi Vigyan Kendra and field exhibition on natural farming. Union Agriculture Minister would be launching country wide workshop on crop insurance organised by common service centre (CSC).

A Discourse on agro ecological and livestock practices would be held under DAY-NRLM along with Ministry of Rural Development. During the week a webinar on  One District One Product (ODOP) would be held by the Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Food Processing Industries. A National Atma Nirbhar Bharat Conclave of 75 selected farmers and entrepreneurs would also be held.

During the week Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying will organise One District One Product based workshop, webinar and awareness programmes about various schemes of the Departments.

More than 1 crore farmers and stakeholders are expected to participate in the said campaign through direct (offline) and virtual (online) medium across the country.

The following milestones of agriculture development in 75 years of Indian Independence will be highlighted during the said campaign:

• Green Revolution: Self-sufficiency in food grain production;
• Largest producer of horticulture crops – Ginger, Banana, Mango & Papaya;
• Yellow Revolution (Operation Golden Flow);
• Sweet Revolution: Honey Production;
• Improvement in crop irrigation;
• Use of ICT in agriculture;
• Application of remote sensing/ GIS/Drones in agriculture;
• Application of Bio-technology in Agriculture;
• Success of Watershed Development Programme;
• Self-sufficiency in seeds and fertilizer;
• Advancement in farm mechanization;
• Soil Health Management (INM)
• Effective management of pests (IPM);

Kisan Bhagidari Prathmikta Hamari Campaign will highlight the activities & achievements under various flagship schemes of Government of India, namely:

• Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi;
• Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana;
• Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana - Per Drop More Crop;
• Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana;
• Kisan Credit Card;
• Agriculture Credit;
• e-National Agriculture Market (e-NAM);
• Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs);
• Soil Health Card;
• Organic and Natural Farming;
• Plant Protection and Plant Quarantine;
• Bee-keeping;
• Farm Mechanization;
• National Food Security Mission;
• Seed and Planting Material;
• Mission on Integrated Development of Horticulture;
• Extension Reforms (ATMA);
• RKVY – RAFTAAR - Agri Start-ups;

20-Feb-2022: International Mother Language Day to be celebrated as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav

Under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, on the occasion of International Mother Language Day, Ministry of Culture, Government of India is organizing a two-day event for 21st – 22nd February 2022 at Indira Gandhi National Center of Arts, New Delhi.

International Mother Language Day is observed worldwide on 21st February every year to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and to promote multilingualism. The Day is part of a broader initiative to promote the preservation and protection of all languages used by people of the world. The idea to celebrate International Mother Language Day first came from Bangladesh. The general conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) decided to celebrate February 21 as International Mother Language Day in 2000. Every year a unique theme is chosen by UNESCO to celebrate this special day. The theme of 2022 is: “Using technology for multilingual learning: Challenges and opportunities”, it focuses on potential role of technology to advance multilingual education and support the development of quality teaching and learning for all.

To mark the day, Ministry of Culture is organising two-day programme in collaboration with Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts IGNCA and UNESCO New Delhi Cluster Office in physical and virtual format.

The key note address at the event will be delivered by Culture Secretary, Shri Govind Mohan, followed by the address of Mr. Eric Falt, Director, UNESCO Cluster Office, New Delhi and renowned lyricist and poet Prasoon Joshi. With a line-up of exemplary speakers from India and abroad, the event will also witness Poetry recitation in mother tongue, Group Song & Dance in different languages, webinar on ‘Using Technology for Multilingual Learning: Challenges and Opportunities’, launch of book ‘Tribal and Indigenous Languages of India’ written by Prof. Ramesh C Gaur, Dean IGNCA.

Later in the evening, the event 'Ekam Bharatam' will witness distinguish presence of Minister of State for Culture & External Affairs Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi to formally release the ‘Vande Bharatam’ soundtrack. The song which has been co-created by Grammy Award winner Ricky Kej along with tabla maestro Bikram Ghosh  was a part of the dance presentations by Ministry of Culture on Republic Day event 2022. The event will also witness music virtuosos perform together live.

Furthermore, there will be an interaction session among the group of writers, thinkers, humanitarians, politicians, journalists and experts on one stage. The unmatched celebration will be followed by cultural performances.

20-Feb-2022: Vigyan Sarvatra Pujyate

The Government of India is holding a year-long programme, Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, to pay homage to freedom fighters and showcase the country’s achievements in various fields on the 75th anniversary of its Independence.

As part of this activity, the Government’s various science and technology organisations, in close partnership with agencies at the level of the states are celebrating S&T achievements over the 75 years.

A week-long commemoration titled Vigyan Sarvatra Pujyate is being held from February 22 to 28 simultaneously in 75 locations across the length and breadth of the country from Leh and Srinagar to Port Blair and Kavaratti Islands in Lakshadweep from north to south and from Ahmedabad and Daman to Itanagar, Kohima, and Aizawl from west to east, apart from the national capital of Delhi. As a feather in the cap, a science & technology mega expo, National Science Book Fair are being held in New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru stadium .

The programme has been designed to inspire India’s youth and help them navigate into building a progressive nation; bring to the fore stories of people in science who made these achievements possible; reinforce the commitment of the scientific community towards the economic and social development of the country; present the awe inspiring futuristic mega science projects embarked by the nation and highlight the work being done by R&D organizations from across the country, as they lead science and technology efforts on the road to 2047. The event would display the country’s scientific  legacy and technology prowess that has helped find solutions to defence, space, health, agriculture, astronomy, and other sectors.

This event is jointly organised by Department of Science and Technology, Department of Biotechnology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Indian Council of Medical Research, All India Council for Technical Education, and Defence Research Development Organisation, under the leadership of the office of the Principal Scientific Officer to the Government of India and the Ministry of Culture. Vigyan Prasar, an autonomous organization of DST with a mandate to promote science communication in the country, is the coordinating agency.

The programmes have been grouped under four themes. The first theme is `from the annals of the history of S&T’. This section traces the contributions of founders of modern science and institutions of national importance to nation-building. It will be done in the form of the screening of 75 films on 75 scientists, and 75 lectures by eminent scientists and technocrats across the 75 locations.

The programmes under the second theme, ‘Milestones of Modern S&T’, will highlight critical discoveries, innovations, or inventions that made a mark in the global science or India’s development story.

The third theme, `Swadeshi Paramparik Inventions and Innovations’, will showcase 75 inventions or technologies that made India self-standing and helped in achieving the goal of self-reliance by drawing upon the reservoir of traditional knowledge systems, such as drugs from herbs.

The fourth theme, `transforming India’, will look at the road ahead for the next 25 years of Indian S&T. It would include talks by 75 eminent scientists & technocrats from within India and the diaspora on their ideas for Indian S&T as it marches towards the centenary year of India’s independence.

The Mahotsav would include a mega expo and a book fair to be held at the grounds of Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi. The science literature festival that will bring together science writers, communicators, artists, poets, dramatists, street play artists, hands-on science demonstrators, journalists, students,  and  teachers.  The  literature  festival  aims  to communicate science through theatre, poems, various folk forms, and cultural events, including a puppet show, and shadow play. It is being organised simultaneously from all 75 locations.

Besides, several competitions, including quiz programmes, essay, poster, and poetry contests are being held to promote scientific temper, particularly among the youth and different science activities are being organised at all the 75 locations. The open-ended, hands-on activities are aimed at motivating young learners to appreciate the joy of science learning by doing it. Through these participatory opportunities Jan Bhagidari in the celebrations would be nurtured.

The programme will be held in various Indian languages, including Kashmiri, Dogri, Punjabi, Gujarati, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telegu, Odiya, Bengali, Assamese, Nepali, Maithili, and Manipur and will include the screening of 75 films.

The inaugural programme would be held at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi on February 22 at 3 PM and will be telecast live at all the 75 locations across the country, where the festival is being organised. Minister of Tourism, Culture and Development of North Eastern Region of India Shri G. Kishan Reddy and Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh will inaugurate the programme.

The programme will end with a grand valedictory function. It will coincide with the National Science Day, celebrated on February 28 every year since 1987 in remembrance of Nobel Laureate Sir C.V. Raman’s path-breaking discovery of the Raman Effect in 1930. National Science Communication Awards to this year’s awardees, and prizes to the winners of various contests held as part of the Mahotsav would be presented. The entire event, including the main inaugural and valedictory functions at Delhi, will be live streamed from across all 75 places. All events would be organised mindful of the relevant and required COVID protocols and adhere to the directives of appropriate agencies.

27-Jan-2022: Smt. Meenakashi Lekhi releases a pictorial book on India’s Women Unsung Heroes of Freedom Struggle  as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav

Union Minister of State for Culture Smt. Meenakashi Lekhi  released a pictorial book on India’s Women Unsung Heroes of Freedom Struggle as part of Azadi ka Mahotsav , in New Delhi today. The book has been released in  partnership with Amar Chitra Katha which is a household name in India.

Addressing on the occasion, Smt Meenakashi Lekhi said that the book celebrates the lives of some of the women who led the charge and lit the flame of protest and rebellion throughout the country. It contains the stories of queens who battled colonial powers in the struggle against imperial rule and women who dedicated and even laid down their lives for the cause of the motherland, she added.

She further added that  if we go through the glorious past of Indian history , we find that the Indian culture was the one which celebrated women and there was no place for gender discrimination.  This is amply evident from the fact that women had the courage and physical strength to fight like soldiers in the battlefield . Narrating the tales of valor of some of the unsung women heroes included in the book, Smt Meenakashi Lekhi said that women were equally vocal in expressing dissent against imperial powers. For example Rani Abbakka repulsed the Portuguese attacks for several decades. However, history has hardly been written with this perspective and now as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, as is the Prime Minister’s vision, the sacrifices of these unsung heroes will be brought to light, she said.

Smt Meenakashi Lekhi said that celebration of freedom has a  meaning only when we familiarise our youth with the past and make them feel proud of their history. It is important  for the youth to   understand the history of freedom struggle through an Indian perspective rather than the colonial one, which  the book being released seeks to do, the Minister explained. She thanked the team at Amar Chitra Katha, and said that Amar Chitra Katha has  for years played an important role in character building in children and imbuing them with sanskars.

Ministry of Culture has decided to release pictorial books on 75 Unsung Heroes of the Freedom Struggle in partnership with Amar Chitra Katha . The second edition will be on 25 unsung Tribal Freedom Fighters which is under process and will take some time. The third and final edition will be of 30 unsung heroes drawn from other areas.

The movement to gain India’s Independence brought together millions of people from every walk of life in protest of the colonial rule. However, we all know only few legendary, iconic leaders of the freedom struggle. In view of this, as a part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM) commemorating 75 years of India’s Independence, the Government of India has decided to recall and remember forgotten heroes of our freedom struggle, many of whom might be renowned yet unknown to the new generation.

Rani Abakka, the Queen of Ullal, Karnataka fought and defeated the mighty Portuguese in the 16th century.  Velu Nachiyar, the queen of Sivaganga was the first Indian queen to wage war against the British East India Company.  Jhalkari Bai, was a woman soldier who grew to become one of the key advisors to the Rani of Jhansi and a prominent figure in the First War of Indian Independence, 1857.

Matangini Hazra was a brave freedom fighter from Bengal, who laid down her life while agitating against the British. Gulab Kaur was a freedom fighter who abandoned her own hopes and dreams of a life abroad to fight for and mobilise the Indian people against the British Raj. Chakali Ilamma was a revolutionary woman who fought against the injustice of zamindars during the Telangana rebellion in the mid-1940s. Padmaja Naidu, the daughter of Sarojini Naidu and a freedom fighter in her own right, who would later become Governor of West Bengal and a humanitarian after Independence.

The book contains story of Bishni Devi Shah, a woman who inspired large number of people in Uttarakhand to join the freedom movement. Subhadra Kumari Chauhan was one of the greatest Hindi poets, who was also a prominent figure in the freedom movement. Durgawati Devi was the brave woman who provided safe passage to Bhagat Singh after the killing of John Saunders and much more during her revolutionary days. Sucheta Kripalani, a prominent freedom fighter, became independent India's first woman Chief Minister of UP Government.

The book contains story of Accamma Cherian, an inspirational leader of the freedom movement in Travancore, Kerala, she was given the name 'Jhansi Rani of Tranvancore' by Mahatma Gandhi. Aruna Asaf Ali was an inspirational freedom fighter who is perhaps best remembered for hoisting the Indian National flag in Mumbai during the Quit India Movement in 1942. Durgabai Deshmukh, a tireless worker for the emancipation of women in Andhra Pradesh, she was also an eminent freedom fighter and member of the Constituent Assembly.  Rani Gaidinliu, the Naga spiritual and political leader, led an armed uprising against the British in Manipur, Nagaland and Assam. Usha Mehta was a freedom fighter from a very young age, who is remembered for organizing an underground radio station during the Quit India Movement of 1942.

Parbati Giri, one of Odisha's most prominent women freedom fighters, was called the Mother Teresa of Western Odisha for her work in the upliftment of her people. Tarkeshwari Sinha, a prominent freedom fighter during the Quit India Movement, she went on to become an eminent politician in the early decades of independent India. Snehlata Varma, a freedom fighter and tireless worker for the education and upliftment of women in Mewar, Rajasthan. Tileshwari Baruah, one of India's youngest martyrs, she was shot at the age of 12 by the British, during the Quit India Movement, when she and some freedom fighters tried to unfurl the Tricolour atop a police station.

14-Jan-2022: Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrates the joyous tradition of Harvest Festivals through “Umang” and “Udaan”

Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is an initiative of the Government of India to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of progressive India and the glorious history of its people, culture, and achievements. The amalgamation of celebrating 75 years of independence with “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” and the different harvest festivals across the country highlight the embodiment of all that is progressive about India’s socio-cultural, political, and economic identity. The colourful Umang of Rangoli making and vibrant Udaan of Kite Flying was celebrated today amongst culture performances. The occasion was graced by Minister of State for Culture Smt. Meenakashi Lekhi and Minister of State for Textile Smt. Darshana Vikram Jardosh. Secretary Culture Shri Govind Mohan and Secretary Textiles Shri Upendra Prasad Singh were also present on this occasion.

“Umang and Udaan”, representing the colours of rangoli and the flight of the kites symbolizing our vibrant culture, were celebrated across 18 states and Union Territories at more than 70 locations to showcase the event. Be it be Uttarayan in Gujarat and Rajasthan, Lohri in Punjab Pongal in southern regions, Makar Sankranti in Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, the essence of celebration remains the same. These truly represent the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat which is embodied in our culture all around us.

MoS Textile Smt. Darshana Vikram Jardosh while celebrating the Harvest Festival mentioned the importance of nature its productivity and its relationship with people of India.

MoS Culture Smt. Meenakashi Lekhi commended the efforts of all the people across the country celebrating the festival and its culture maintaining the norms to keep safe against the pandemic. The celebration also marks a tribute towards people who have contributed to make India a progressive society.

Secretary, Ministry of Culture Shri Govind Mohan highlighted the importance of Harvest festivals as the vitality of agriculture and its produce in the country and how these festivals celebrate this important part of Indian society

Secretary, Ministry of Textiles Shri Upendra Prasad Singh mentioned the importance of art and handicraft in the beauty of celebration of Harvest Festivals. These handicrafts are not only representative of our culture but also a significant means of livelihood in India.

Interesting conversations with local artisans and kite flyers who make kite highlighted the beauty of the art form that is celebrated as a festival across the country. Bright coloured kites, spools and their coloured threads painted a perfect picture in the Indian skies symbolising reaching out to everyone beyond boundaries. From Ahmadabad in Gujarat to Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh or Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh to Hyderabad in Telangana, people shared their stories celebrating nature’s most important gift. Apart from these people from Jodhpur in Rajasthan and Patna in Bihar also joined in with their celebrations. They also expressed their gratitude towards the Ministry of Culture for giving them the opportunity to express their views. These local flavours create a beautiful picture of “Unity and Diversity” present in our country

Cultural performances by tribal communities made the occasion vibrant and musical. This celebration not only highlighted a vital part of the journey of 75 years of independent India, but also showcased the relationship between productivity of mother earth and sustainability of India as a progressive society.

The event culminated with an expression of “New India” that progresses while celebrating its culture. The amalgamation of flying high like kites and keeping its feet deep rooted in its traditions and values. 

Read more ...