Mysuru:  An all religion prayer meeting marked Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary celebration jointly organised by District Administration, Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) and the Department of Information and Public Relations at Town Hall in city this morning.

However, District Administration seems to have forgotten to celebrate the 116th birth anniversary of Lal Bahadur Shastri, the second Prime Minister of Independent India, which also falls on Oct.2, as no official celebration took place.

District Minister V. Somanna inaugurated the Gandhi Jayanti celebration by offering floral tributes to a portrait of the Father of the Nation.

Later, a prayer meeting was held in which religious heads from Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist and Jain communities rendered prayers from Bhagavad Gita, Quran, Buddha Dhamma and prayers of their respective religions. The meeting stressed on the need for following Gandhian principles in maintaining peace and harmony.

V. Somanna also released ‘Baapu-Paapu,’ a booklet on the life of Mahatma Gandhi, brought out by the Department of Information and Public Relations on the occasion.

Marking the celebration, the MCC launched ‘Angikaar campaign,’ an initiative of the Union Housing and Urban Development Ministry, aimed at bringing beneficiaries of PMAY (Urban) into the fold of Central schemes such as Ujjwala and Ayushman Bharat.

Speaking after the launch, MCC Assistant Commissioner Shivananda Murthy said that as part of Angikaar campaign, resource persons will visit households and educate the citizens on the benefits of the scheme using a mobile app.

Calling for public co-operation to ensure the success of the campaign, Shivanandamurthy said that the campaign launched today, would end on Dec.10 this year.

MLA Tanveer Sait, Mayor Pushpalatha Jagannath, DC Abhiram G. Sankar, Department of Information and Public Relations Assistant Director R. Raju, Sir Khazi of Mysuru Mohammad Usman Shariff, Jain community leader Suresh Kumar Jain, Buddha Dharma Guru Banthe Kalyana Siri Swamiji and others were present.

At Gandhi Bhavan

Gandhi Jayanti was also celebrated at Gandhi Bhavan in Manasagangothri campus at a function jointly organised by Centre for Gandhian Studies, University of Mysore (UoM) and Jnana Deepa Shikshana Samsthe.

The event began with members present on the occasion offering floral tributes to the bust of Gandhiji. 

Later, Rekha Venkatesh and team rendered Gandhi Bhajans. 

Dr. B. Sujay Kumar, a Gandhian from Srirangapatna and freedom fighter C.R. Ranganath spoke about the life and ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi. 

Mysore University Vice-Chancellor Prof. G. Hemantha Kumar, Registrar Prof. R. Shivappa, Gandhi Bhavan Director Prof. M.S. Shekar, Jnana Deepa Shikshana Samsthe Treasurer N. Santhosh and others were present during the occasion.

At Congress office

The 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri were celebrated at the City and District Congress Office near the City Railway Station this morning, by offering floral tributes to the portraits of Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri.

On the occasion, a ‘Sadbhavan Nadige,’ a harmony walk, was taken out from the Congress office to Freedom Fighters Park at Subbarayanakere Grounds on Narayan Shastri Road, where several freedom fighters were felicitated.

Former Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, City Congress President R. Murthy, District President Dr. B.J. Vijay Kumar, former MLAs Vasu and M.K. Somashekar, Corporator Lokesh Piya, leaders Radhamani, Manjula Manasa and others were present during the celebrations.