Mysore/Mysuru: The 79th Independence Day was celebrated with patriotic fervour, by the District Administration at Torchlight Parade Grounds, Bannimantap in city yesterday.

Social Welfare and District in-Charge Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa unfurled the National Flag, in the presence of MLA Tanveer Sait, MLC C.N. Manjegowda, Karnataka Exhibition Authority (KEA) Chairman Ayub Khan, Deputy Commissioner (DC) G. Lakshmikanth Reddy, Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Commissioner Shaikh Tanveer Asif, Zilla Panchayat (ZP) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) S. Ukesh Kumar, City Police Commissioner Seema Latkar and Superintendent of Police (SP) N. Vishnuvardhana and other officers.

Paying tributes to freedom fighters Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Gopalkrishna Gokhale, Lokamanya Tilak, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Moulana Abul Kalam Azad, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and other leaders in the forefront of freedom movement, Dr. Mahadevappa said, the I-Day is the occasion to remember and honour the sacrifices made by these leaders.

“Our society is built on the edifice of independence, harmony and brotherhood, but the patriotic spirit should not be restricted for a day, but should be deeply ingrained in our blood. If we feel safe and carefree at home, it is only due to our soldiers, guarding the borders by risking their lives. Let us bow to the soldiers, who irrespective of day and night, have been fighting the enemies and reaching martyrdom,” said Dr. Mahadevappa.

Guarantee Schemes

Saying that the Government implemented five Guarantee Schemes towards building a peaceful society, Dr. Mahadevappa said, in Mysuru district alone, there are several beneficiaries of Guarantee Schemes.

Under Anna Bhagya, 10 kg of rice is given to every family member, whose names are mentioned in the ration card and Anthyodaya card, every month, with 6,42,630 quintals of rice given from February to July 2025.

Under Shakti Scheme, 32.59 crore women have  derived the benefit till July this year, with tickets valued at Rs. 167.4 crore issued towards the free travel facility extended to women in KSRTC buses.

While 9,00,148 electricity consumers among the total 9,61,477 consumers of Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC) Limited in Mysuru district, who had registered on Seva Sindhu Portal, are enjoying the benefit under Gruha Jyoti scheme.

Gruha Lakshmi scheme, under which eligible women beneficiaries are provided a financial assistance of Rs. 2,000 per month,  has so far benefited 6,94,871 beneficiaries.

Of the total 10,539 beneficiaries, who had registered under Yuva Nidhi scheme, have been extended the financial assistance through Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) mode.

Earlier, Dr. Mahadevappa inspected the parade by going around in an open jeep, before receiving the guard of honour, presented to him by 24 various parade troops led by Parade Commander Reserve Police Inspector (RPI) S.D. Sasanoor and Deputy Commander Reserve Sub-Inspector (RSI) Suresh.

24 troops

The troops included that of Mounted Police, KSRP Fifth Battalion (two teams), City Armed Reserve (CAR) Police, District Armed Reserve (DAR) Police, KR Sub-Division, Devaraja Sub-Division, NR Sub-Division, Vijayanagar Sub-Division, Women’s Civil Police, Traffic, Excise, Fire and Emergency Services, Home Guards, National Cadet Corps (NCC) – Army, Navy and Air Force, Police Public School (SRS), Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Guides, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Bharat Sevadal (Boys and Girls).

Aerobics

As many as 1,200 students from Government High School, Block Education Office, Mysuru North and Physical Education Department of 12 high schools, performed aerobics to the applause of the gathering.

Various school students presented cultural programmes, depicting the armed forces fight against terrorists, martyrdom among several others, spreading patriotic spirit among the gathering.

The family members of five untimely deceased persons, whose organs were donated for the cause of others, were also honoured on the occasion.

Students sweat on wet ground

Following rainfall, the ground was wet, with water accumulated at parts, forcing the students to sweat, as they had to stand helplessly, from 9 am to 10.30 am, with no option to sit, till the conclusion of I-Day event. To enable the troops to march past with ease, M-sand had been laid on the march past route.