2.50-lakh sq ft area exhibition on state’s development decade

Gujarat’s yearlong golden jubilee celebration which began with a grand cultural function on the theme ‘Vande Gujarat’ on the state’s foundation day on May 1, 2010 culminates with a grand finale through four-day pageantry from April 28 to May 1, 2011 on the theme ‘Aage Kadam Gujarat’.

The spectacle, which gives an opportunity to the people of Gujarat show to the nation their inherent strength and capacity, began today with massive programme of cleaning the statues of prominent leaders with people’s participation in all the district and taluka towns, as well as illuminating all government and semi-government buildings, heritage sites and prominent roads in the state.

On April 29, Governor Dr Kamlaji will inaugurate a mega exhibition of ‘Glimpses of Gujarat’s development during the last decade’ in presence of Chief Minister Narendra Modi on 2.50-lakh sq ft area at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar at 6 p.m. There will be 42 stalls under three huge domes named Narmada, Tapi and Sabarmati, displaying awards won by the state, coffee table books, tourism pavilions, handicrafts, solar village, bookstall, food court. It will remain open for public daily from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. till May 6.

On April 30, Para Military and Police Forces will march past the Central Vista from Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s statue to Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar at 6 p.m. and back, along with 26 tableaux depicting the state’s all round development, to the accompaniment of bands from different districts and schools. The highlight will be Gujarat’s tableau on ‘Buddhist Heritage Gujarat’ by the State Information & Broadcasting Department at the last Republic Day Parade in New Delhi.

The same day, Chief Minister will address a conference of Non-Resident Gujaratis to be held on the theme ‘Swarnim Gujarat; Vaishwik Gujarat’.

On the state’s foundation day on May 1, being celebrated as Gujarat’s Gaurav Divas, Mr. Modi will pay floral tributes to the martyrs of ‘Mahagujarat Andolan’ near the Bhadra Fort in Ahmedabad and to late Indulal Yagnik’s statue at Lal Darwaja at 8.30 a.m.

The grand finale will be held on May 1 at 6 p.m. at Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad in the august presence of the Governor Dr Kamlaji, Chief Minister Narendra Modi and other dignitaries. Over 5,000 artistes drawn from different regions of the state will present a cultural programme. The cultural programme of May 1 will be repeated at the same venue on May 2.