Forty-three persons donated blood at a camp organised at the Armed Reserve Grounds here on Wednesday.
City Commissioner of Police Sanjay Mathur was among the 29 police personnel who donated blood at the camp which was jointly organised the city police, Government Rajaji Hospital and Indian Red Cross Society.
Twelve Home Guards and two members of the public donated blood.
The camp was organised in connection with the World Blood Donation Day and Gandhi Jayanthi to highlight peace and harmony in society.
At the Central Prisons here, 145 saplings were planted outside the jail premises to mark the 145 birth anniversary of Gandhi. Deputy Inspector General of Police (Prisons) V.H. Mohammed Haneefa took part in the event.
A ‘wall magazine’ was launched on the occasion to encourage creativity among the prisoners. Prizes were distributed to the winners of essay, singing and sports competitions.
At Gandhi Museum
Several events marked the inauguration of the four-day Gandhi Jayanthi celebrations at Gandhi Memorial Museum here on Wednesday.
Representatives of various organisations and associations paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi by garlanding his statue on the museum premises.
Freedom fighter Mayandi Bharathi and other members of the Freedom Fighters’ Association, Bharathiya Ilakiya Peravai, and Lions Club, Gandhi Memorial Museum’s secretary M.P. Gurusamy, vice-chairman K. Lakshmi Kanthan Bharathi and members of Akhil Bharthiya Vidyarthi Parishad were among those who paid homage to the Father of Nation.
S . Bharath, Commissioner of Income Tax, in his special address after paying homage said, “Gandhi’s concept of education which insisted on education for life, through life and throughout life and the Gandhian concept of economic police that laid emphasis on trusteeship have disappeared.”
Holistic education, as envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi, should be brought to practice and economic policies should focus more on agriculture rather than special economic zones and industrial corridors, Mr. Bharath said.
“India is becoming a sub-standard country as it is deviating from Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals”, he added.
Mr. Gurusamy insisted that the values preached by Gandhi should be practiced by the younger generation. Anantha T. Amirtham, president of Jana Kalyan Movement, Madurai, insisted that the Gandhian thoughts should be spread in schools.
Mr. Bharath distributed prizes to school students, who won the competitions conducted by the Jana Kalyan.
The Institute of Gandhian Studies and Research in Gandhi Memorial Museum and World Without Wars and Violence (Madurai Chapter) organised a signature campaign to spread the message of non-violence.
Collector L. Subramanian inaugurated the celebrations in the evening. The Gandhi Memorial Museum has scheduled a series of debates and speeches till October 6.
