1857 celebrations start, youth exhorted to make India a superpower

Meerut, May 6 (UNI) The year-long celebrations to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the First War of Independence in 1857 were launched here with a National Youth Rally here where speakers called on them on to emulate the principles of the freedom fighters.

Adressing the rally, which has attended by 15,000 to 20,000 youth from all the country, Uttar Pradesh Governor T V Rajeshwar called on them to emulate the heroism of Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, Rani Lakshmibai, Begum Hazrat Mahal and other stalwarts of the the First War of Independence, to make the nation into a global superpower.

''Unity is the key,'' he stressed.

Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mani Shankar Aiyar, who flagged off the rally at the historic Victoria Park, exhorted the youth to heed ''three principles.'' ''We are one nation and one people; our unity is based on diversity; and secularism, is most important,'' he noted, underlining how various rulers and people, mostly Hindu, had accepted the leadership of the Mughal Emperor in the fight to free the country from the colonial power.

Noting it took almost a century from the revolt to ensure freedom of India, Mr Aiyar said the process of making the country a superpower would also take some time.

At the occasion, the Governor greeted 31 freedom fighters and presented each a shawl and a memento.

A book on 1857 was also released by Mr Rajeshwar.

Mr Aiyar also announced the renaming of the Victoria Park -- the venue from which the sepoys had begun their march to Delhi -- as the ''Jang-e-Azaadi' Maidan.

A cultural programme was also organised at the occasion, where famous Urdu poet Javed Akhtar recited five poetic odes he had especially composed for the occasion.

The rally, which would culminate at the historic Red Fort in Delhi on May 11, will cover a distance of 80 km from Meerut to Delhi in five days and will halt in Modinagar, Muradnagar and Ghaziabad.

In all these places, special programmes will be organised.

President APJ Abdul Kalam, Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi will be among the galaxy of dignitaries, who would address the rally. All the former Prime Ministers, state Governors and chief ministers and heads of political parties have also been invited.

UNI