HP celebrates Parmar's birth centenary

Shimla, Aug 4 (UNI) People of Himachal Pradesh remembered the first Chief Minister of the state Yashwant Singh Parmar on his birth centenary today.

State Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh launched the celebrations here by planting a sapling of the Christmas tree at The Ridge in the town after paying floral tributes at his statue along with his cabinet collegues, MLAs, senior state government officers and people from all walks of life.

He also inaugurated an exhibition of old and rare historical photographs of Dr Parmar, at the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha complex, organised by the Department of Information and Public Relations.

Paying rich tributes to the visionary, Mr Singh said that the grateful people of Himachal would remember him for his contribution in the formation of the state.

Dr Parmar dedicated his whole life for providing the hill states of the country separate political units and gauged their developmental requirements separate to the other states, he said.

He said that it was under his leadership that the state was recognised as a separate political unit on January 25, 1971.

Dr Parmar was a great visionary who identified the priorities of road connectivity and education, which he pursued vigorously, he added.

A report from Solan district said glowing tributes were paid to state's first Chief Minister Y S Parmar on his centenary birth celebration, by leaders of various political parties, while remembering his towards the all-round development of the state.

A function was organised by Editor of Local Hindi Weekly, Baldev Chauhan, in which former minister Roop Singh Thakur, lauded his role in providing full-fledged statehood to Himachal.

BJP leaders Virender Kashyap and D C Guleria, Congress leader Kul Rakesh Pant and local journalists threw light on the life and achievements of former the Chief Minister.

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