Patriotic fervour and gaiety marked the Republic Day celebrations in the city on Saturday.
An impressive parade by police, honouring of freedom fighters, presentation of Chief Minister’s police medals and meritorious service certificates to government employees, distribution of welfare assistance, and a cultural pageantry formed part of the official ceremony held at Anna Stadium in the city.
Collector Jayashree Muralidharan hoisted the National Flag and took the salute at the parade along T.Selvakumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order).
Forty-six freedom fighters were honoured by the Collector during the ceremony. She presented the Chief Minister’s medal to 75 police personnel and certificates for meritorious service to 46 others. Nine fire and rescue service personnel were presented with certificates for gallantry.
Ten government servants who had served for 20 years with clean service records were presented with savings certificates worth Rs.10,000 each. Welfare assistance totally worth Rs.16.35 lakh was distributed to 178 beneficiaries.
The event drew to a close with a colourful cultural presentation by students of St.Anne’s Girls Higher Secondary School, Holy Cross Girls Higher Secondary School, Child Labour Special Schools, Vidivelli Special School, Periyar Maniammai Higher Secondary School, Cauvery Matric HSS, Srirangam Boys HSS, Vasavi Vidyalaya HSS, Sevan Sangam Girls HSS, and Shrimati Indira Gandhi College.
The students too got commendation certificates from the Collector.
Shailesh Kumar Yadav, City Police Commissioner, A.Amalraj, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Tiruchi range, R.Lalitha Lakshmi, Superintendent of Police, Tiruchi, and T.Thiyagarajan, District Revenue Officer, were present.
Earlier, Mayor A.Jaya unfurled the tricolour at the corporation office in the presence of V.P.Thandapani, Commissioner, and other officials.
She presented prizes to four students for their contribution in raising awareness against open defecation among residents, and certificates to 24 corporation sanitary workers and employees for the effective functioning in dengue control measures and during the Vaikunda Ekadasai celebrations in Srirangam. Students of the corporation schools at Edamalaipattipudur, Karumandapam and K.K.Nagar presented a cultural programme.
Ms.Jaya also paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Asthi Mandapam on the government hospital campus.
K. Anantha Padmanabhan, Chief Commissioner of Customs, hoisted the National Flag at the Republic Day celebrations at the Customs Commissionerate, after inspecting the guard of honour. K. Engineer, additional commissioner, A. Cletus, joint commissioner, and other senior officials were present. The executive officers of the Central Excise and Service Tax Commissionerate participated.
