The soul of India resides in its diversity and this is our greatest strength. The ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ campaign, which started with the inspiration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is a powerful symbol of this unity and cultural prosperity.
Establishment Day celebrations of 9 states were celebrated at Raj Bhavan on Thursday. Governor Shri Ramen Deka said on the occasion of the establishment day of Bihar, Gujarat, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Goa, Telangana, Mizoram, Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh that this initiative is not only a cultural exchange, but also a means of emotional integration.
Under the Central Government’s “Ek Bharat-Shreshtha Bharat” program, all the states celebrate each other’s foundation day to promote the spirit of unity in diversity. In this series, the establishment day of these states was celebrated with great enthusiasm in the Chhattisgarh Mandapam of Raj Bhavan today.
On this occasion, Governor Shri Deka said that despite the differences in languages, costumes, food, art and traditions, our soul is one. This diversity makes India unique in the world. The states whose establishment day is being celebrated today further highlight this rich cultural heritage of India.
The Governor described Bihar as the land of knowledge, Gujarat as the leader of trade and industry, Maharashtra as a symbol of bravery and saint tradition, and West Bengal as the center of literature and science. He described Goa as the tourism capital, Telangana as the hub of technological development, Mizoram and Sikkim as the pride of the North-East and Himachal Pradesh as a symbol of Devbhoomi and natural beauty.
The Governor urged the youth to join this campaign, understand the culture of other states and contribute to nation building. In the end, he congratulated all the states on their foundation day and said that the unity and integrity of India inspires us to make a self-reliant and powerful nation.
The program was addressed by Kumari Belinda Riang, representative of Mizoram state, Shri Nimesh Kumar Jha, representative of Bihar, Shri Rajesh Chauhan of Gujarat, Shri Ajay Madhukar Kale of Maharashtra, Shri Sevio DeCosta of Goa, Smt. Gurijla Usha of Telangana, Shri Diptesh Chatterjee, representative of West Bengal and Shri Pavan Singh, representative of Himachal Pradesh highlighted the features, traditions, culture of their states and said that they consider Chhattisgarh as their home.
In the program, students of various universities presented colorful cultural programs based on the culture and folk traditions of all the states. The folk dances of West Bengal’s Ghinchi, Gujarat’s Garba, Maharashtra’s Lavani, along with the folk dances of Bihar, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Goa, Telangana and Mizoram, captivated the guests. The children of Vanvasi Ashram also performed a group song.
The Governor presented state gamchhas and mementos to the representatives of various states. They also honored the Governor by presenting him a memento from their state.
MLA Shri Purandar Mishra, Mayor of Raipur Smt. Meenal Choubey, Secretary to the Governor Dr. C. R. Prasanna along with other officers and youth, women and dignitaries of all these states were present in large numbers in the program.
