The ‘Open House’ conducted at Raj Bhavan on Tuesday saw people arrive in huge number and greet the Governor couple on the occasion of New Year.
The customary event during which the majestic Durbar Hall in Raj Bhavan is thrown open for the public was conducted for an hour between 4.30 p.m. and 5.30 p.m., and had VIPs and commoners alike vying to greet the couple.
Governor E.S.L.Narasimhan and his wife Vimala Narasimhan patiently received the visitors, and obliged whenever somebody wanted to take a picture. Some of the visitors had diaries and calendars released by the Governor, and many brought their children to be blessed by the couple.
Refreshments were served for all the visitors before they could meet the couple.
VIPs who called on the Governor included Home Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali, MLC Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy, Additional Director General of Police, Anti Corruption Bureau, J.Purnachandra Rao, City Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar, IG in Central Industrial Security Force C.V.Anand, Special Chief Secretary Ajay Mishra, BC Commission Chairperson B.S.Ramulu and member Vakulabharanam Krishnamohan Rao, Principal Secretary, General Administration, Adhar Sinha, HMDA Commissioner B.Janardhan Reddy, Managing Director Hyderabad Metro Rail N.V.S.Reddy, Deputy Secretary, Protocol, Arvinder Singh, Hyderabad Collector Raghunandan Rao, Director Department of Culture Mamidi Harikrishna, and former Vice-Chancellor of Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University Avula Manjulatha, among others.
Speaking after the event, Mr. Narasimhan conveyed new year greetings to the people of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and hoped that 2019 will be the year of peace, amity, joy, health and togetherness. People should own up the state and take responsibility in its development, as they all are participants in governance, he said.
He released an anthology of poems on Haritha Haaram and eco-poetry, brought out by Mr. Mamidi Harikrishna. Police in high numbers were deployed at the entrance, and visitors were frisked before they entered. the main building.
