Bhubaneswar: The martyrdom day of Mahatma Gandhi, the apostle of truth and non-violence and Father of the Nation, was observed as Shaheed Diwas (Martyrs’ Day) across Odisha on Thursday. A grand state-level ceremony was held in the morning at the Legislative Assembly premises in Bhubaneswar.
Recalling Mahatma Gandhi’s life and ideals, speakers remembered him as a devoted practitioner of truth (Satya) and non-violence (Ahimsa), whose unwavering moral strength and commitment to righteousness laid the foundation of India’s freedom struggle. Gandhiji’s philosophy of non-cooperation with injustice and his reliance on truth, non-violence, and remembrance of Lord Ram became powerful tools that ultimately weakened colonial rule and led the nation to independence.
On the occasion, Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, Speaker Surama Padhi, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gand, Deputy Speaker Bhabanishankar Bhoi, Government Chief Whip Saroj Kumar Pradhan, Deputy Chief Whip Gobind Chandra Das, and MLAs Babu Singh and Bhaskar Chandra Madhei, along with former ministers, legislators, and eminent personalities, paid floral tributes at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi.
The ceremony began with the Odisha Police Band playing the national anthem. Vocalists from the Shashwati Social and Cultural Centre rendered Gandhiji’s favourite ashram bhajan, “Vaishnav Jan To.”
As a mark of respect to the martyrs, the police force offered a cannon salute, followed by two minutes of silence in solemn remembrance. A second cannon salute signalled the conclusion of the homage. The program ended with the Odisha Police Band performing Ram Dhun and the national anthem.
Later, Legislative Assembly Secretary Satyabrata Rout, Director of Information and Public Relations Anuj Kumar Das Pattnaik, IPR Director (Technical) Gurvir Singh, and other senior officers also paid floral tributes at the statue of the Father of the Nation. The event was coordinated by Deputy Director Sucheta Priyadarshini.
