Peace rallies, seminars on Gandhian principles and a host of lectures filled the day in most of the schools and colleges that united to celebrate the 144 Gandhi Jayanti in the city on Wednesday.
As part of the celebrations, the staff members and NSS volunteers of the Centre for Study of Gandhian Philosophy and Human Development of the Department of Management Studies, Gayatri Vidya Parishad Degree and PG College marked the celebrations with peace rally, flagged off by college’s Principal M.F. Rahman, from its premises at MVP Colony that continued till Isukathota junction. Among other teaching staff, A. Sai Bala, V. Venkateswara Rao and U.V.S.S. Sastry and NSS Programme Officer G. Lakshmi Narayana participated in the rally. Later, director of Gandhian Studies P.B.V. Siva Prasad spoke on Gandhian principles.
Student community and the faculty members of GITAM University paid tributes to Bapu by distributing Gandhiji’s autobiography on its premises.
The initiative was taken up by University’s Gandhi Centre where its director B Sambasiva Prasad said that they intended to organise similar programmes during the coming week. President of the university M.V.V.S. Murthy, Vice-Chancellor G. Subrahmanyam, Pro Vice-Chancellor D. Harinarayana, Registrar M. Potharaju and deans of various institutes and faculty members participated in the celebrations.
Mahatma Gandhi, the unifying force of the freedom struggle, was remembered by PRISM Degree and PG College for a variety of reasons. The celebrations here aimed at infusing Gandhian principles among students. The day started with paying tributes to the Father of the Nation followed by a lecture by Professor of Department of English B. Parvathi on how Gandhian thoughts help people find solution to many socio-political concerns. Secretary and correspondent of the college D. Satyanarayana Reddy and vice-principal Rajeshwari Eswaran, and director of PG Studies S. Srinivasa Rao, among others spoke on how Gandhiji continues to inspire several leaders across the globe even in the 21 century.
Municipal Commissioner M.V. Satyanarayana and Additional Commissioner M. Janaki along with other officials paid tributes to the Father of the Nation and the second Prime Minister of our nation Lal Bahadur Shastri.
Children had a gala time at National Child Labour School as Bala Vikas Foundation took the initiative of celebrating the birth anniversaries of both Gandhiji and Lal Bahadur Shastri here on its premises. Students along with secretary of the foundation Narava Prakasa Rao garlanded the portraits of the national leaders. He highlighted Gandhian principles and told the students to follow the path of truth and non-violence. In the end, notebooks and study material were given away to the students of the school.
Government Whip Dronamraju Srinivas also participated in Gandhi Jayanti celebrations. Meanwhile, members of Arya Vysya Sangham Congress leader Paluri Seshamamba, advocate Seetaramaiah participated in a rally and garlanded the statue of Gandhiji near GVMC.
Former Mayor D.V. Subba Rao and BJP leaders P.V. Chalapathi Rao, city unit president M. Nagendra, leaders J. Prithvi Raj and T. Subbirama Reddy along with others paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and the second Prime Minister of the nation Lal Bahadur Shastri.
TDP Urban president Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar along his party members garlanded the Gandhi statue near GVMC.
Peace rally
Members of the Andhra University Students Activity Centre (AUSAC) took out a peace rally on the beach road by carrying a 66 foot tricolour, as part of the Gandhiji Jayanti celebrations on Wednesday.
Vice-Chancellor G.S.N. Raju, who flagged off the peace rally, urged the students to imbibe the qualities of non-violence, honesty and serve the humanity.
Prof. Raju distributed clothes to the poor people on the occasion. AUSAC presented a cultural programme. Principal of AU College of Engineering Ch.V. Ramachandra Murthy, Vice-Principal P.S. Avadhani, Coordinator Y. Ramakrishna, student convenor Vamsikrishna and others spoke.
