PM to head committee, Sonia and Tendulkar among 259 members

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, former President Pratibha Patil, economist Amartya Sen, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, spiritual leader Baba Ramdev, chief ministers of states and senior political leaders are among those included in the panel.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will head a high-level committee of 259 eminent personalities from various fields, including Union home minister Amit Shah, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Chief Justice of India Sharad Bobde, to commemorate 75 years of the country’s independence, the government notified on Friday.

As reported by HT on Thursday, the Centre has decided to launch a grand celebration to mark 75 years of Independence with events, exhibitions, rallies and tourism outreach programmes. (PTI Copy)

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, former President Pratibha Patil, economist Amartya Sen, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, spiritual leader Baba Ramdev, chief ministers of states and senior political leaders are among those included in the panel.

“The Committee will provide policy direction and guidelines for formulation of programmes for the commemoration of 75th anniversary of Indian Independence, at the national and international levels,” the culture ministry said in a statement.

As reported by HT on Thursday, the Centre has decided to launch a grand celebration to mark 75 years of Independence with events, exhibitions, rallies and tourism outreach programmes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will kick off the festivities in Gujarat on March 12, the 91st anniversary of the historic Dandi March, officials said on Wednesday.

The culture ministry is the nodal point for all events, which will include exhibitions on freedom fighters Mahatma Gandhi, Vallabhbhai Patel and Subhas Chandra Bose, the officials quoted above said. All government departments and state governments will come up with their own plans to mark the occasion.

Exhibitions on Gandhi, Patel and Bose will be organised by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting across various locations; states will hold exhibitions on other unsung heroes of the freedom struggle. The celebrations will last through the 25 days of the Dandi March, undertaken by Gandhi and his followers in 1930 to protest a colonial salt tax, and conclude on April 5.

Chief secretaries of all states will choose two or three places of historical significance, with a total of 75 destinations selected across the country. Youth clubs, National Service Scheme, National Cadet Corps volunteers, in collaboration with the department of youth affairs, will organise cycle rallies.