Country Needs To Highlight Significant Events Led By Lesser Known Leaders: Odisha CM

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday said that the country needs to highlight significant events, many of which happened outside the boundaries, while commemorating the 75 years of India's independence.

Patnaik said this while participating at the 75 Independence Celebration Preparatory Meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, through the virtual mode.

With the passage of time, Patnaik said, the youth of India need to be reminded of the sacrifices of our forefathers in a context they can identify with, one of the ways in which this can be done is to highlight the events of our freedom struggle and develop the places linked to it.

"We need to highlight significant events led by lesser known leaders as well as to capture the pan India nature of the movement," Patnaik said, adding that many events that happened outside the boundaries of India need to be captured.

He said all efforts should be made to ensure every Indian, residing anywhere in the world, should be touched through the various activities as part of the commemoration ceremonies. Through technology and social media, this is quite possible to achieve.

"Our greatest tribute to the founding father of our nation will be to carry forward in letter and spirit the values and ethos of our Independence movement as enshrined in the Constitution of India," he said.

The Odisha Chief Minister also said that the ideals of freedom, justice and equality which defined the freedom struggle, need to be reiterated in today's circumstances.

Describing it as a "proud moment", Patnaik thanked the Prime Minister for bringing all together and discussing commemoration of 75 years of India's independence. "I congratulate the Union Government led by the Hon'ble Prime Minister for taking this initiative," he said.

Patnaik quoted Gandhiji saying: "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." He said service oriented activities can be part of the programme to encourage community service among the citizens especially the youth.