Enthralling performance by school students, honouring the freedom fighters from Madurai district, distribution of welfare benefits to beneficiaries and felicitation of best performers in government departments marked the colourful 70th Independence Day celebrations here on Monday.
Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao, the last one to arrive at the venue as per the protocol, hoisted the national flag at 9.34 a.m. Later, Mr. Rao, accompanied by Madurai District Superintendent of Police Vijayendra S. Bidari, inspected the guard of honour and took salute of the parade by contingents of police, and National Cadet Corps.
After the parade, 270 freedom fighters from Madurai district were honoured by the Collector. He later distributed welfare benefits under various schemes worth around Rs. 45 lakh to 183 beneficiaries.
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A total of 72 staff members from various departments of the government were felicitated by the Collector for their performance while 32 police personnel received medal during the function for their service.
The celebrations at the armed reserve ground came to an end with the well-choreographed cultural performances by hundreds of students from various government and aided schools in the district, which kept the audience hooked.
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The Hindu celebrated the Independence Day on its premises at K.K. Nagar. J.R. Samartha, District Forest Officer of Madurai Division, who graced the celebrations, planted a sapling.
Independence Day was also observed across various organisations in the district. Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry celebrated Independence Day at the chamber premises with its president N. Jegatheesan hoisting the flag.
T. Ravi, president of Madurai District Tiny and Small Scale Industries Association (MADITSSIA) Trust, hoisted the flag in MADITSSIA.
R. Muthukrishnan, Managing Director (in-charge) of Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (Madurai) Ltd, hoisted flag at the office in Bypass Road here.
He distributed awards worth Rs. 41.9 lakh to 3,506 drivers, who had never had accidents in their career.
K. John Moses, state general secretary of Janata Dal (secular), hoisted flag near Kamaraj statue in Vilakuthoon.
Ramesh Ardhanari, Medical Director of Meenakshi Mission Hospital and Research Centre, hoisted the flag on the hospital premises.