PASIGHAT, OCT 7:
Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju will be the chief guest at the grand celebration of ‘Vande Mataram @150’, marking 150 years of India’s National Song, at Arunachal Pradesh University (APU) here on October 8.
Sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, the national-level commemoration is being organised by the Department of Mass Communication, APU.
The three-day programme, centred on the theme ‘Song, Nation and Frontier’, will bring a national cultural and academic event to Pasighat, the oldest town of Arunachal Pradesh and gateway to the Siang region.
More than 200 students from 12 schools and colleges across East Siang participated in a month-long series of competitions held as curtain-raisers to the main event, including marathon, essay writing, painting and poster making, singing and poetry. A total of 47 winners will be felicitated during the inaugural ceremony.
APU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ashan Riddi said the university was honoured to welcome Rijiju as chief guest and expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Culture for sponsoring the programme.
“His presence in Pasighat is a great encouragement for our students, faculty and youth of the frontier,” Riddi said, adding that Rijiju’s journey as a son of Arunachal would inspire students from remote areas of the state.
He said hosting the national commemoration at APU, a three-year-old state university, reflected the Ministry’s commitment to taking the Vande Mataram celebration to the frontiers of the country.
Describing Vande Mataram as “the soul of our nation”, Riddi said its rendition from Pasighat would symbolise the spirit of national pride from the eastern frontier.
The academic highlight of the programme will be a national seminar, which received 70 abstracts from across India and abroad. Of these, 58 papers have been selected, with 36 to be presented online on October 7 and 22 offline on October 9. The book of abstracts will be released by the chief guest on October 8.
The inaugural ceremony will also feature the inauguration of the newly constructed main gate of APU, tree plantation under ‘Ek Ped Ek Bharat’, and an Exhibition and Community Zone. The programme will include a rendition of Vande Mataram by the winner of the singing competition and cultural performances showcasing Singpho, Galo and Wancho traditions.
The valedictory ceremony and offline seminar will be held on October 9.
BJP Arunachal Pradesh president Kaling Moyong and local legislators, including Mebo MLA Oken Tayeng, Nari-Koyu MLA Tojir Kadu, Pasighat West MLA Tapi Darang and Ruksin MLA Ninong Ering, are also expected to attend, along with Gaon Burahs, PRI members and other dignitaries.
The university is expecting around 1,500 participants, including students from schools and colleges, faculty members, members of the public and district administration officials.
