Centre forms committee headed by PM Modi to commemorate 75th anniversary of Independence

In a key development on Friday, the Union government constituted a National Committee for the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of India's Independence. Earlier, the Centre had constituted a National Implementation Committee and a Committee of Secretaries to guide the programmes to be undertaken by various Ministries. Headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the new committee has 259 eminent citizens from different walks of life as members. 

This includes multiple Union Ministers, Chief Ministers and Governors of various states, ex-President Pratibha Patil, ex-PM Manmohan Singh, former PM HD Deve Gowda, Bharat Ratna awardees Lata Mangeshkar, Sachin Tendulkar, Amartya Sen and CNR Rao and Congress president Sonia Gandhi. The mandate of the committee will be to provide policy direction and guidelines for the formulation of programmes to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Independence at the national and international level in the form of 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav'. While its term commences with immediate effect, it will have the powers to co-opt members.

Moreover, the Centre revealed that the celebrations will be launched on March 12- 75 weeks prior to August 15, 2022. Incidentally, this day marks the 91st anniversary of the Salt Satyagraha led by Mahatma Gandhi. Thus, the first meeting of the National Committee will be held on March 8 to discuss the modalities for the preparatory activities under the commemoration. 

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Here is the full list of the committee's members: 

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PM Modi's thrust on 'New India'

On multiple occasions, PM Modi has elaborated on his vision for India on 75 years of Independence. During his Independence Day speech on August 15, 2017, he said, “If each one of us, irrespective of where he belongs to, strives with a new resolve, a new energy, a new strength, we can change the face of the country with our combined strength in the 75th year of our independence in 2022. It will be the New India – a secure, prosperous and strong nation. A New India where there is equal opportunity for all; where modern science and technology play an important role in bringing glory for the nation in the global arena.” In his Mann Ki Baat address on January 31, the PM urged people to write about the country's freedom fighters and their stories of struggle to mark the 75th anniversary of Independence. 

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