Rich tributes were paid to prominent leaders and countless unsung heroes of the freedom movement during the 66th Independence Day celebrations held at the police parade ground here on Wednesday.
Agriculture Minister Kanna Lakshminarayana led the festivities by hoisting the national flag and receiving the ceremonial guard of honour. Addressing the gathering, Mr. Lakshminarayana said the sacrifices made by Mahatma Gandhi and several other popular figures for liberating the country from the British Empire were unforgettable, and it was the duty of every citizen to strive to realise their dreams. Guntur district had given a fair contribution to the freedom struggle with leaders like Kanneganti Hanumanthu and Parvataneni Veeraiah Chowdary taking up cudgels against the British hegemony. Mr. Lakshminarayana later felicitated freedom fighters and watched cultural programmes presented by schoolchildren.
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He distributed certificates to 424 government and private employees for rendering valuable services in their respective fields.
Collector S. Suresh Kumar, SP (Urban) A. Ravi Krishna, Additional Joint Collector K. Sarada Devi and other dignitaries were present. In his speech, Mr. Lakshminarayana gave details of the development achieved, touching upon the activities of all departments.