Cultural performances by school and college students, honouring of freedom fighters and their family members, felicitation of best performing government officials and members of the public, and distribution of welfare measures marked the 72nd Independence Day celebration at the Armed Reserve Ground here on Wednesday.
Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao hoisted the flag at 9.20 a.m. Accompanied by District Superintendent of Police N. Manivannan, he subsequently inspected the guard of honour and took the salute at the police parade.
The Collector later honoured freedom fighters and their family members present at the venue. He distributed welfare measures from various departments to 346 eligible beneficiaries to the tune of ₹66.32 lakh. They included free pattas, prosthetic limbs to physically challenged persons, distribution of sewing machines and benefits to ex-service men.
A total of 234 teachers, police personnel, officials from different departments, social workers, people from different walks of life who contributed to society through their service were felicitated by the Collector with certificates and shields.
Colourful dance performances by students from Nirmala Girls Higher Secondary School, Government Girls Higher Secondary School in Melur, Meenakshi Sundareswarar Girls Higher Secondary School, Madurai Gandhi N.M.R. Subbaraman Women’s College, Sourashtra Girls Higher Secondary School, O.C.P.M. Girls Higher Secondary School, Yadava College, Government Kallar Girls Higher Secondary School in Checkanurani, and a gymnastics performance by Siddhu Matric Higher Secondary School in Viswanathapuram enthralled the audience.
In a remarkable dance performance for patriotic songs by O.C.P.M. Girls Higher Secondary School, S. Rubiya Farhana, a Class 8 students, who has only 10% vision, danced in perfect harmony with other students without missing a step, receiving applause from the audience. She was congratulated by the Collector at the end of the event.
The dance performance by Sourashtra Girls Higher Secondary School, forming different patterns with colourful pieces of cloth, also received loud cheers from the audience.
Inspector General of Police (South Zone) K.P. Shanmuga Rajeswaran, Commissioner of Police, Madurai City, S. Davidson Devasirvatham, and Deputy Inspector General of Police (Madurai Range) Pradip Kumar also took part in the function.