Govt plans mega celebrations to mark Ambedkar’s birth anniv

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh govt has planned a mega celebration across the state to mark the 134th birth anniversary of Dr BR Ambedkar on April 14.
The move is being seen as a massive outreach to Dalits and an effort by the BJP to stake a claim to the legacy of the Dalit icon. The govt has said that the celebrations would be held on an "unprecedented scale".
With the aim to "ignite greater awareness and admiration among the youth" for Ambedkar, the govt has planned a series of events that will begin with a ‘Bhim Padyatra' on April 13. The procession will start from Marine Drive at 6.30 am and conclude at Ambedkar Park.
It will be organised under the banner of My Bharat, along with the National Service Scheme (NSS) and Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan.
State liaison officer, NSS, Manju Singh said that around 1,400 students from Lucknow University, Babu Banarasi Das University, Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Language University, APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Central University, Central Sanskrit University, Dr Shakuntala Mishra National Rehabilitation University, and the office of the deputy director of education (Lucknow division) will take part in the march.
The govt has planned an elaborate cultural programme, and artists from across the country will present various art forms to pay tribute to Ambedkar. "Through cultural performances, educational programmes, and public engagement, the govt seeks to reinforce Ambedkar's values and continue his legacy of empowerment and social harmony," a govt spokesperson said, adding that the cultural events would also revolve around the theme of the Constitution.
Folk artists like Shyamjeet Singh from Lakhimpur Kheri and Tribhuvan Bharti from Mau will perform at the event. Bipin Kumar from Lucknow will present a dance drama titled ‘Abhi Sapna Adhura Hai', highlighting Ambedkar's life. Niharika Kashyap and her team from Lucknow will perform another dance drama titled ‘Ambedkar Pyara'. Birha performances will be delivered by Ramdular from Ballia, Bhaiya Lal Pal from Varanasi, and Manoj Kumar Paswan from Gorakhpur. Anirudh Wankar from Mumbai will also perform in the cultural evening.
Artist Sachin Valmiki from Mumbai will also perform at an event organised by Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University. In another programme hosted by the Ambedkar Mahasabha, artists like Ramnivas Paswan from Lucknow, Laxmi Ragini from Bhadohi, and Shubham Rawat and Jaya Kumari from Lucknow will perform.
The govt will also organize an exhibition highlighting important moments from the life of Ambedkar. The exhibition will be inaugurated at 9 am on April 14, and a grand celebration will be organised at the Ambedkar Mahasabha campus in Lucknow, which will also be attended by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
For the first time, the govt will also organise a sanitation campaign in all parks, memorials, and major crossings where statues and portraits of Ambedkar and other important people will be cleaned. The event will be attended by senior govt officials and public representatives.