'Record-breaking' I-Day Celebrations in Odisha!

Bhubaneswar: Marking the 73rd Independence Day in the grandest way, thousands of residents in Steel City Rourkela along with school students formed a human chain at the Ring Road to unfurl a 17-km-long National Flag. Working in collaboration with several voluntary organisations of the city, the organiser ‘Smile Forever’, is aiming to register the feat in Guinness Book of World Records as the record is currently held by a Raipur foundation which had entered the Champions Book of World Record after displaying a 15-km long national tricolour flag in Chhattisgarh.

Thousands of #Rourkela residents form human chain to unfurl a 17-km-long National Flag at Ring Road of the Steel City on #IndependenceDay; the organiser ‘Smile Forever’ is aiming to register the feat in Guinness Book of World Record

(Deferred visual) pic.twitter.com/PtP7NQd60e

— OTV (@otvnews) August 15, 2019

In a similar display, students of Ravenshaw University in Cuttack celebrated I-Day by marching inside the varsity premises with a 450 ft-long Tricolour flag. In Hinjilicut of Ganjam district, the Press Computer Academy along with hundreds of locals marched in the town with a 200-mt long national flag.

Students of Ravenshaw University in Cuttack celebrate #IndependenceDay by marching with a 450-feet-long Tricolour #Odisha pic.twitter.com/OwuipQB7Yk

— OTV (@otvnews) August 15, 2019

Meanwhile, colourful parades marked the India I-Day celebrations in different parts of Odisha. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik unfurled the National Flag during State-level Independence Day celebrations at Exhibition Ground in Bhubaneswar. Extensive arrangements were put in place at the new venue while thousands gathered to witness the I-Day celebrations and salutations by contingents of Odisha Police, CISF, 120 Infantry Battalion and Telangana Police.

In his address, the CM paid tributes to freedom fighters and said that his government works on the principle of 5T (Teamwork, Technology, Transparency, Transformation and Time Limit) and is focused on welfare of the people of Odisha.

Similarly, Odisha Finance & Excise Minister Niranjan Pujari unfurled the tricolour at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. Here, Odisha Police, Commissionerate Police, Fire Services, and students of various schools and colleges participated in the ceremonial I-Day parade.

Steel and Mines Minister, Prafulla Kumar Mallick hoisted the flag at the district-level Independence day celebrations in Puri, while State Energy Minister Dibya Shankar Mishra graced the I-day function organised in Court chhak of Sambalpur.

Colourful parades mark #IndependenceDay celebrations in different parts of #Odisha pic.twitter.com/Rire6hjvC9

— OTV (@otvnews) August 15, 2019