Hyderabad: The Telangana State is going to celebrate for two years 75 years of India’s Independence from British rule in 1947, said Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Friday.

He hoisted a flag at Public Gardens in Hyderabad to mark 91 years of the historic Dandi March led by Mahatma Gandhi, KCR launched the “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav” celebrations in Telangana. Speaking on the occasion, KCR said that a committee formed under the chairmanship of retired bureaucrat and Government Advisor (Cultural Affairs) KV Ramana chary will plan various events to be conducted across the state over the next 75 weeks, culminating in the 75th anniversary of Independence Day next year.

KCR further said that following the 75 weeks of celebrations and the 75th anniversary of Independence Day next year, the celebrations will continue in Telangana for one more year. It is for this purpose that the Telangana Government sanctioned a sum of Rs 25 crores, said KCR. In his address he said that making the children and youth of today aware of the sacrifices made by many people to achieve freedom for the country, Rao said, “The Independence Day of the country should not lose its relevance at any cost”.

He extensively spoke on the Dandi March taken up by Mahatma Gandhi, the method of non-violence and civil disobedience adopted by him as part of the freedom struggle. He said that even though only around 79 people marched along with Gandhi as part of the March from Dandi to Sabarmati over a stretch of 384 km for 24 days, it sent shockwaves across the British Empire.