: The district administration, all government departments, political parties, organisations and institutions celebrated the 125{+t}{+h}birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on a grand scale on Thursday.
Dr. Ambedkar’s statues all over the district were garlanded and meetings and programmes were held to mark the occasion and to recollect the ideals of the great leader and to rededicate themselves to achieve the wishes of the Constitution maker. Foundations were laid for housing colonies under the NTR Housing Scheme at various places in the district. A total of 50,000 units would be built in the district.
At a function organised by the district administration, Ministers Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu and Ganta Srinivasa Rao recalled how Dr. Ambedkar worked his way up in spite of being born in a poor family and when untouchability was rampant. They explained the various development works and schemes being initiated for the downtrodden sections during the year-long celebrations of Dr. Ambedkar’s 125{+t}{+h}birth anniversary.
Chairperson of Zilla Praja Parishad Lalam Bhavani, MP K. Haribabu, Collector N. Yuvaraj, GVMC Commissioner Pravin Kumar, Joint Collector J. Nivas, VC of VUDA T. Baburao Naidu, JC-II D.V. Reddy, MLA Ramakrishna Babu, several senior district officials, representatives of Ambedkar Association participated. Girls of the Social Welfare Residential Schools presented a cultural programme. Assets worth Rs. 120 crore were distributed to 77 beneficiaries.
‘A social force’
At a function organised by Andhra University, Principal District Judge V. Jayasurya said Dr. Ambedkar was a social force while former Member of UPSC K.S. Chalam observed Dr. Ambedkar had taken into consideration every section of society. Vice-Chancellor in-charge E.A. Narayana, Registrar V. Umamaheswara Rao, EC Members and others spoke. Earlier the statue of Dr. Ambedkar in front of the Law College was garlanded.
Dr. Ambedkar’s birth anniversary was celebrated by the Visakhapatnam Bar Association, the SC,ST and BC Advocates Association, the Visakhapatnam Port Trust SC and ST Employees Welfare Association, Ambedkar Yuvajana Sevasangham SC and ST Association of Gopalapatnam, All-India Dalit Sankshema Sangh, the YSR Students Union and several other organisations.
Fond remembrance
The 125{+t}{+h}birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar was celebrated at Bhimuni Gummam at Anakapalle. The place was named after Ambedkar after he visited it in 1944 and addressed a public meeting at Nehru Chowk. He continued to be an inspiration for generation because of his insight into social justice and stress on education as a liberator, MLA Peela Govinda Satyanarayana said at the meeting at Bheemuni Gummam on Thursday.
He honoured Mahesh who drew an 80-foot mural of Dr. Ambedkar.
