Surendra Ullal
CHICAGO: On the occasion of the 151st birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Mayor of Chicago has proclaimed 2 October as the ‘Mahatma Gandhi Day in Chicago’.
The Indian Consulate General of India in Chicago in association with Gandhi Memorial, Chicago, organized celebration on October 2 2020 in the Skokie Village, which had installed the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in 2004.
The Indian Consul General (CG) Amit Kumar announced this while paying floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi in Skokie a Chicago suburb He addressed a gathering of limited number of attendees observing that Gandhiji life and message are of abiding relevance and continue to inspires all around the world.
Due to Covid-19 situation, the event was scaled down and was attended by a few founding members of Gandhi Memorial including Shri and Smt. Omprakash Kamaria and Shri Chandra Kant Modi, and a few officers from the Consulate. CGpresented a set of books on Gandhiji for the library of Gandhi Memorial.
On Gandhi Jayanti, the Consulate has received several messages including from Member of Congress Raja Krishnamoorthi.
The Consulate also organized a virtual event in the evening on October 2, 2020, which was streamed live on its Facebook page. CG Amit Kumar addressed the viewers. The cultural program included a mix of songs, classical dance, skit and narration paying tribute to Gandhiji and recalling his life and message.
Following individuals/organizations contributed to the program: Recital of Gandhiji’s favoriteBhajans by Carnatic music exponent Aravind Sundar from Chicago and Danish born singer Ms. Anita Lerche from Indiana;
The Dance performance by Kalapriya Dance Academy, Chicago on the theme ‘Charkha’ symbolizing Gandhi’s peaceful struggle for civil rights for all;
A short skit with child actors directed and produced by Anurag Misraraj of Dramatech of America, Chicago, on the importance of Gandhiji teachings in contemporary times; and
A presentation on Gandhi Peace Program by National Indo-American Museum (NIAM).
Besides this, as part of Gandhi Jayanti celebration, the Consulate, in association with the Gandhian Forum for Ethical Corporate, presented Gandhi Katha by Dr. Shobhana Radhakrishna, Chief Functionary at Gandhian Forum on 26 September 2020.
