Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the year-long celebrations to commemorate the 200th birth anniversary of Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in the national capital.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the year-long celebrations to commemorate the 200th birth anniversary of Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in the national capital.
On this occasion, the Prime Minister performed Puja and Yagya. Union Ministers G Kishan Reddy, Arjun Ram Meghwal and Meenakshi Lekhi were also present on the occasion.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati, who was born on February 12, 1824, was a social reformer who founded the Arya Samaj in 1875 to combat prevailing social inequalities.
Arya Samaj has played an important role in the cultural and social awakening of the country by emphasizing on social reforms and education.
The Government is determined to honor social reformers and important persons, especially those whose contribution has not yet been recognized at an all India level.
From declaring the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Muda as Adivasi Gaurav Diwas to participating in events to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Sri Aurobindo, Prime Minister Modi is leading such initiatives.
He said, “The path shown by Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati gives hope to crores of people.”
Modi also described the occasion as historic and said that it is an inspiration for the future of humanity. He said that Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati became a voice for the empowerment of women of India and launched a strong campaign against social discrimination and untouchability.
“Today the daughters of the country are playing major roles, from being posted in Siachen to flying Rafale fighter jets,” Modi said.
‘historic’ contribution
Born in 1824, Saraswati worked to combat the then prevailing social inequalities, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement. Arya Samaj has played an important role in the cultural and social awakening of the country by emphasizing on social reforms and education.
“The government is determined to honor social reformers and important personalities, especially those whose contribution has not yet been given their due at the all-India level,” the statement said.