The Vinoba Seva Pratisthan (VSP) in association with Gandhi Global Foundation (GGF), New Delhi and Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti, New Delhi, organised the 127th Birth anniversary of Acharya Vinoba Bhave along with the 75th year of India's Independence known as Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and the centenary of Mahatma Gandhi's first visit to Odisha here.
The meeting was presided over by VSP president and former adviser to the Election Commission of India Dr Bhagban Prakash. VSP general secretary Manoj Jena welcomed the guests as well as participants and said about the objectives of the celebration. The organisation has decided to bring Gandhiji's vision of self-reliant village or Gram Swaraj in 75 districts of the country through various programmes on the occasion of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, he said He also informed that a project has been taken by the organisation to provide land ownership and entitlements to women in Odisha. Former Union Minister Braja Kishore Tripathy joining the event stressed on the need of an egalitarian society as propounded by Gandhi and Vinoba.
Regional Director, Outreach Bureau, under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Akhil Kumar Mishra said the Government aims to build a self-reliant India or Atma Nirvar Bharat of Gandhiji through the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
Gandhi Odisha 100 convener Dr Rina Rautaray said the youth should keep the dignity of freedom and contribute for rural development. She said on the centenary year of Mahatma Gandhi’s first arrival to Odisha, the forum Gandhi Odisha 100 will adopt 100 gram panchayats in Odisha to promote Gandhiji's vision of peaceful society. Former MP and eminent Dalit leader Ananta Prasad Sethi called on the youth to be the change agent.
Others who spoke include chairman of Kalinga Foundation Trust, Bimal Das, chairman of Odisha Parents Association Basudev Bhatta, secretary of Jai-Kiran Trust Sumitra Jena, secretary of Odisha Environment Society, Raghunath Prusty, Bijay Pradhan, State convenor, Ekta Parishad, Coordinator of NSS Prof Raghunath Mandal, spokesperson of Mahanadi Bachhao Andolan Prasanna Bisoi and convenor of Bhitamati Suraksha Manch Arun Jena.