Tag: celebration

Consul General Zha Liyou Attends Bodh Gaya Celebration Prayers for 70th Anniversary of Founding of The People’s Republic of China

Source: kolkata.china-consulate.org

On September 15th, at the invitation of the Kolkata Chinese Buddhist Association, Consul General Zha Liyou attended the Celebration Prayers for the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China and the 72nd Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of India, jointly organized by the Bodh Gaya Chinese Temple and the Mahabodhi Temple.

More than 1000 people attended the event, including Visva-Bharati VC Bidyut Chakrabarty, Mahabodhi Temple Management Secretary N. S. Dorjee, Kolkata Chinese Buddhist Association President Chen Qiwei, Bhikkhu-in-Charge of Maha Bodhi Society of India Headquarters-Kolkata Ven. M Medhankara Thero, Mahabodhi Temple Chief Monk Chalinda, Bodh Gaya Chinese Temple Chief Monk Huirong, and monks from 68 temples in Bodh Gaya, representatives of overseas Chinese in Kolkata, media reporters and local Buddhism followers etc.

On the morning of the same day, accompanied by the Chinese lion dance performance, participants of the event left the Chinese Temple and walked to the Bodhi Tree of the Mahabodhi Temple. Monks devoted themselves to chanting of Song Of The Triple Gem, praying for the anniversaries of the two countries and stable development of the bilateral relations.

The Consul General delivered a speech and expressed his pleasure to join the prayers for the two countries at the Mahabodhi Temple. China learned Buddhism from India and becomes the largest Buddhist country in the world. As two ancient civilizations in Asia, China and India have achieved remarkable development achievements benefiting their people and making great contributions to prosperity and development of Asia and the world, as well as building a community with a shared future for mankind. He hoped that the event would create a good atmosphere for the development of Sino-Indian relations in the new era, and people from all walks of life including Buddhism would continue to support the development of Sino-Indian relations and contribute to people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

Master Huirong and Chief Monk Chalinda thanked the people from all walks of life for attending the prayers and jointly praying for the health of Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping and their upcoming informal meeting in India, as well as bilateral relations and people of the two countries, and both firmly believed that the prayers will definitely become true.

Prof. Bidyut Chakrabarty, Mr. N. S. Dorjee, and Ven. M Medhankara Thero highly appreciated the prayers and wished it a complete success and the best of the Indian-China relationship.

Mr Zha and his wife jointly presented the guests with souvenirs specially made for the 70th Chinese National Day. With the monks chanting the Mahamangala Sutta and the distinguished guests lighting the candle devoted to Buddha, the event was successfully concluded.

Times of India, Hindustan, Bodh Gaya TV and other local media were present to report the event, and interviewed the Consul General.

Patna High School turns 100: Week- long centennial celebration kicks off

Source: hindustantimes.com

The prestigious Patna High School campus has turned 100 this year. The school management along with its alumni association has planned a series of programs to celebrate the grand occasion.

In fact, the week long celebrations have already begun from Monday and would culminate on August 4 with a gala event that would see scores of dignitaries from across the nation, most of them the institute alumni, converging on the campus to relive the fond memories of their school days and wish well for their alma mater.

An organising team has been formed to make all necessary arrangements and see through successful completion of the events.  The campus is already gripped with fervour. 

On Monday, an essay writing competition was held among the present students. According to school officials, different competitions including painting, math quiz, and athletics will be held and the winners will be awarded on August 4.

As per the managing committee, Vice-President of India M Venkaiah Naidu, Governors of Bihar and Sikkim, union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, chief minister Nitish Kumar, deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi, education Minister Krishna Nandan Prasad Verma, members of parliament R K Sinha, C P Thakur, legislators Abdul Bari Siddiqui and Sanjeev Chaurasiya have confirmed to attend the function.

Patna High School Principal Ravi Ranjan, who himself is an alumnus of the school, shed light on the current challenges facing by the school. He said, “Notwithstanding the school’s glorious history, in the present scenario its stature has witnessed decline due to deteriorating infrastructure and lack of teachers. We are expecting a change in fate after the visit of Vice-president Naidu and may the school get reasons to rejuvenate again.”  

Raj Shekhar Gupta, general secretary of Patna High School Alumni Association, said, “All eyes are set for the August 4 gala event. In the morning, the visiting guests would garland the statute of Rajendra Prasad Singh, a former student of the school, who was among the seven youths killed in the infamous Patna Secretariat firing case during the Quit India Movement in August 1942. Singh’s statue stands tall on the campus even today.”

“In the second half, the students of batch 1960-70 and retired teachers of the school would be honoured followed by cultural programme”, added Gupta.