Hyderabad: The state government’s official Ugadi celebrations will return to the Ravindra Bharathi auditorium after a six-year gap, but it was unclear if Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao will take part in the celebrations on March 22.
The decision to shift the celebration to the public auditorium was taken in a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary A. Santhi Kumari on Thursday with all stakeholders at the BRKR Bhavan. The CS asked officials to make elaborate arrangements in a befitting manner to celebrate the ensuing Shobhakrut Nama Samvatsaram (Ugadi)” festival.
Ugadi was celebrated at the Ravindra Bharathi auditorium for decades in undivided Andhra Pradesh and in Telangana from 2014 to 2017. In 2018, the Chief Minister decided to move the celebrations to his newly-constructed camp office-cum-official residence at Pragathi Bhavan.
But, in the three years since, Ugadi celebrations were not held due to the election code of conduct in 2019 and Coronavirus-induced curbs in 2020 and 2021. The celebration was only held at Pragathi Bhavan last year.
In the meeting, the CS directed the endowments department officials to make arrangements for Veda pandits (priests) and to transport awardees to the venue and back, the culture department to set up a dais, stage decoration, print invitation cards, make seating arrangements and undertake necessary measures for ‘Kavi Sammelanam’ in the evening, and the water board was directed to supply drinking water to the venue.
The CS instructed the police department to provide adequate security cover and prepare a parking plan to avoid inconveniencing the public. Officials were also told to provide uninterrupted power supply, set up signage and illuminate important government buildings on March 21 and 22.
She also urged officials to wear traditional dresses while taking part in the celebrations, as it signifies the beginning of the Telugu year.
Government adviser K.V. Ramanachary, I&PR commissioner Arvind Kumar, transport commissioner Sandeep Kumar Sultania, GAD secretary Seshadri, R&B secretary Sreenivasa Raju, HMWS&SB MD Dana Kishore, Hyderabad police commissioner C.V. Anand, endowments commissioner Anil Kumar, DG fire services Y. Nagireddy and the director of the department of language and culture, M. Harikrishna, attended the meeting.
