The Minister of Culture and Tourism Shri Prahlad Singh Patel announced today that the year long celebrations to commemorate 125th birth anniversary year of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose will formally commence on 23rd January, 2021. Prime Minister ,Sh Narendra Modi will preside over the inaugural event of the celebrations being held at  Kolkata, the Minister disclosed while addressing mediapersons in New Delhi today. The Government has decided to celebrate  23rd January as PARAKRAM DIWAS every year  and a Gazette Notification to this effect has been issued today, the Minister said.

The 125th Birth Anniversary year of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose will be celebrated in a befitting manner at national and international level. Shri Patel informed that a High Level Committee, headed by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has been constituted for deciding the programs, and to supervise and guide the commemorationthroughout the year. The Committee will provide guidance for the commemoration activities in Delhi, Kolkata and other places associated with Netaji and Azad Hind Fauj, both in India as well as overseas.

The Minister further informedthat the Ministry of Culture has proposed a number of activities and projects for this year-long commemoration. The inaugural function of the commemoration will be held at Victoria Memorial in Kolkata on 23^rd January 2021 presided over by the Prime Minister. A permanent exhibition on Netaji and a Projection Mapping Show will be inaugurated on the occasion. A cultural program "AmraNutonJouboneriDoot" will also be held based on the theme of Netaji. Shri Patel said “a commemorative coin and postage stamp will also be released on this day. An International Conference ‘Re-visiting the legacy of Netaji Subhash in 21^st century’ and an Artists' Camp are being organized at National Library, Kolkata on the same day.”

He further stated that the Ministry of Culture will also be organisinga programme at Netaji’s birthplace inCuttack, Orissa.  The Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Shri Dharmendra Pradhan will participate in this programme. Another programmeis also being organisedatHaripura in Gujaratwhich also has symbolic association with Netaji.

Other Ministries under Govt. of India  have also proposed to take up a large number of activities to commemorate this occasion. These activities will be carried out upon finalisation by the High Level Committee.  Tourism Ministry will be sponsoring this year the National Level indigenous games including Kabaddi Tournament which has been organised for the last 37 years on Netaji’s Birth Anniversary in Madhya Pradesh’s Narshingpur District by the ‘SahyogKrida Mandal’. Netaji Football Tournament and Marathons (D/o Sports), Pada Yatras and Cycle Yatras( D/o Youth Affairs), Webinar under "Dekho Apna Desh,"  Webinar on Netaji's life and incidents in Manipur (Ministry of Tourism), INA tune ‘Kadam KadamBadhayeJa’ being included in the Beating Retreat Ceremony – 2021 (Ministry of Defence), etc. Ministry of Civil Aviation has proposed to paint some of Air India’s aircraft with Netaji’s images , especially the ones flying to Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Ministry of Railways has proposed to name an express train after Netaji.

Ministry of Education proposes to establish 5 chairs on Netaji in 5 Indian Universities, organize online Lectures and Webinars on teachings of Netaji, etc. National Film Development Corporation under Ministry of Information & Broadcasting will organize a short-film competition on ‘How to fulfil  Netaji’s dreams for India’. Doordarshan and All India Radio will host panel discussions, produce documentaries and other programs on the life and times of Netaji.

Earlier, in order to honour Netaji’s unparalleled contribution to the country, the National Implementation Committee in its meeting held on 25^th November 2020 decided to commemorate the 125^th Birth Anniversary year of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in a befitting manner at national and international level. A meeting was called by CultureMinister on 15th December, 2020, where eminent persons including veterans from Indian National Army were invited to deliberate upon the programs / activities for the commemoration. A gazette notification to this effect has been issued on 8 January 2021. The Members of the Committee includes distinguished citizens, historians, authors, experts, family members of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, as well as eminent persons associated with Azad Hind Fauj (INA).

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NB/SK