Sri Vijaya Puram, Nov 16: Along with the rest of the country, the 150th Birth Anniversary of Dharti Aaba Bhagwan Birsa Munda was celebrated as ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas’ in A&N Islands too. As part of the celebration, the A&N Administration organized a function at DBRAIT Auditorium to commemorate the Birth Anniversary of Birsa Munda—a great tribal leader and freedom fighter. This day is a tribute to the countless tribal heroes of India who strengthened the foundation of the nation with courage, sacrifice and unwavering determination.
The Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi’s address on the occasion of 150th Birth Anniversary celebrations of Birsa Munda was live screened from Dediapada in Narmada district, Gujarat. Member of Parliament, A&N Islands, Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray and the Chief Secretary, A&N Administration, Dr. Chandra Bhushan Kumar, IAS graced the occasion and witnessed the live screening of the Prime Minister’s address at DBRAIT.
The Secretary, Tribal Welfare, Dr. Satyendra Singh Dursawat, IAS, the Deputy Commissioner, South Andaman, Mr. Arjun Sharma, IAS, the Adhyaksh, ZPSA, Mr. Prakash Adhikari, the Director, Tribal welfare, tribal communities of Onge, Nicobarese, Great Andamanese and other senior Officers of A&N Administration were also present on the occasion.
The programme was attended by 35 members of the Onge PVTG, 25 members of the Andamanese PVTG, and 51 members of the Nicobari ST community. At the venue, stalls were set up for Aadhaar registration and health screening by the Civil Supplies and Health Departments. In addition, stalls by the Departments of Social Welfare, NABARD, Lead Bank, Agriculture, Ayush, and Fisheries were also installed to disseminate information about various flagship schemes of the Government of India and the UT Administration implemented for the welfare and well-being of the tribal communities of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The presence of the tribes of the A&N Islands, particularly the Onge, Nicobarese and Andamanese communities who are an invaluable part of our cultural heritage made this event not just a formal one, but a living celebration of our diversity, our heritage and our collective unity.
Before the live screening of the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s Speech, the Member of Parliament and the Chief Secretary gave away the Ayushman Cards to the Great Andamanese beneficiaries, marking an important step towards health security, dignity and opportunities for the tribal community to move forward. Both the dignitaries felicitated 13 Onge PVTG students who have passed Class 10 this year. It was not just an award for the students, but an inspiration for the entire community and a message of hope for the future generations.
The Director, Tribal welfare proposed the vote of thanks.
The event at DBRAIT concluded with the presentation of the National Anthem sung by the students from Onge, Nicobarese and Andamanese communities, which was appreciated by one and all present in the auditorium.
