Rahman's musical feast on Mulayam's birthday bash

Etawah, Nov 20: A cultural extravaganza including a performance by Oscar-winning composer A R Rahman, massive fireworks and cultural shows by medical students over the next two days will mark the 76th birthday of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav in his ancestral village Saifai here.

The celebrations will start with a musical feast at the Athletics Stadium, Saifai, tomorrow evening where Rahman and his group will regale the audience with his compositions.

President of Ranvir Singh Smriti Saifai Mahotsav, Member of Parliament Dharmendra Yadav who is looking after the preparations, said that all works have been completed for the event.

"A R Rahman will perform for creating awareness on environment conservation at the stadium for which a massive stage has been set up by technicians from Mumbai and outside. Also big screens have been installed for the convenience of people," Yadav said.

On November 22, the Rural Institute of Medical Sciences, Etawah, will celebrate the birthday of its founder Mulayam Singh Yadav at the indoor stadium where a cake will be cut by the leader, director of RIMS T Prabhakar said.

The institute will put up a slide show and a cultural performance by medical students on the occasion, he said.

The stadiums have been decked up in the party colours of green and red while welcome gates have come up on the roads leading to Saifai. An impressive fireworks has been scheduled to entertain the guests in the evening, Yadav said.

Flowers imported specially for the occasion and lights have been put up on the buildings along the roads leading to the venues.

Massive arrangements have been made to welcome an estimated one lakh guests for which special parking and other facilities have already been completed. About 3,000 staff will look after the cleanliness work.

For security arrangements, about 3,000 personnel from 15 districts have been deployed, police said. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has already reached Saifai and was present at the airstrip to welcome Rahman and his troupe this afternoon.

He also took stock of the preparations. Last year, Uttar Pradesh Minister Azam Khan had organised two-day long celebrations in Rampur to mark Mulayam's 75th birthday.

Mulayam had rode an imported Victorian-style 'buggy' and around 40 ministers gathered for his birthday bash, fuelling criticism that was met with a caustic response from Khan that Taliban and Dawood Ibrahim provided funds for the event.

PTI