USTM (Meghalaya) : Sharp at 3pm the entire campus at University of Science & Technology, Meghalaya got reverberated with the tune of unity, peace and diversity. USTM being an iconic seat of unity in diversity as it hosts students from all over the north eastern states symbolizing a diversified culture, has observed National Unity Day in an unique manner and it was live telecast on Doordarshan Guwahati. The welcome song composed by Ranjana Deka, faculty USTM, had set the tune of unity on board as it exemplified the essence of this plethora “unity in diversity”
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) was introduced by the Government of India and inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014. The intent is to pay tribute to Vallabhbhai Patel, who was instrumental in keeping India united. It is to be celebrated on 31 October every year as annual commemoration of the birthday of the Iron Man of India Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, one of the founding leaders of Republic of India. The official statement for Rashtriya Ekta Diwas by the Home Ministry of India cites that the National Unity Day “will provide an opportunity to re-affirm the inherent strength and resilience of our nation to withstand the actual and potential threats to the unity, integrity and security of our country’”.
The program was opened with the welcome address by Sh. Debendranath Basumatary, ADG, Doordarshan who had reminded the students of USTM the significance of observing National Unity Day. The chief guest of the program, Sh. P V S L N Murthy, CGM, SBI, North East Circle had cited the importance of maintaining and strengthening the unity in diversity of our country and he had urged the students of USTM to read the biography of Dr. Vallabhbhai Patel so that the students can shape their personality in keeping with his ideology, get to learn about his relentless struggle to adjudicate and integrate different parts of the country. He added “Unity has no caste or creed or religion, it has no border or boundaries”. Sh. Dillip Kr Das, Station Director, Aakashvani, Guwahati asserted that the theme of unity should be echoed in all spheres of our life and it should be just an one day affair. It is was followed by the speech of Sh. Mahbubul Hoque, Chancellor USTM who has recalled the great men, the architect of our nation and specially Vallabhbhai Patel & Indira Gandhi who had laid their lives for the making of India into a developed nation. Dr. P G Rao, VC, USTM had asserted that both USTM & RIST are all set to maintain and contribute in the process of building an unified nation by way of providing equal opportunity for education to all”.
A long chain of different manifestations of diversified North Eastern culture were exemplified by the students delivering zikir song, rabindra sangeet, wangle dance, bihu dance, NE regional folk dance, ethnic show, khasi dance, Tripura dance etc.