Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan on Tuesday recalled how Pingali Venkayya had presented the initial design of the Indian flag to Mahatma Gandhi during a meeting of the Indian National Congress held in Vijayawada in 1921.
“The National Flag designed by Venkayya was a gift for the country, and the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ programme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a fitting tribute to the flag designer,” the Governor said.
Mr. Harichandan participated in the symposium on ‘Tiranga the Unifier – Literary Portrayals of National Flag in Indian Languages’, organised by Sahitya Akademi commemorating the 146th birth anniversary of Pingali Venkayya, at P.B. Siddhartha College on Tuesday.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Harichandan hailed Venkayya as a great freedom fighter and asked the people to hoist the national flag on their homes from August 13 to 15, during ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ programme, being organised to celebrate the 75 years of Indian Independence.
The Governor also referred to a play called ‘Mahasangramar – Maha Nayak’ authored by him on the Paika Rebellion fought under the leadership of Buxi Jagabandhu in 1817 against the British in Orissa for a period of eight years. The play was enacted recently at Thummalapalli Kala Kshetram in Vijayawada.
AP Legislative Assembly former Deputy Speaker Mandali Buddha Prasad, freedom fighter Rampilla Narasayamma, Telugu Advisory Board Convener and eminent writer K. Siva Reddy and Sahitya Akademi secretary Dr. K. Srinivasa Rao participated.
Felicitated
The management and students of Maris Stella College (Autonomous), felicitated war veteran of the Indian Air Force (IAF), Prof. K. R. Seshadri Rao, as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations on the college premises on Tuesday.
Prof. Seshadri Rao spoke on ‘Safeguarding Freedom — The Role of Indian Armed Forces’ on the occasion. College correspondent Sr. Sleeva Thumma and principal Dr. Sr. Jasintha Quadras participated.
