All set for Republic Day function

Jaswant Shetra

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 24

Full dress rehearsal for district-level Republic Day function was held at Guru Nanak Stadium here on Thursday.

Students of various schools, NCC cadets and police personnel took part in the dress rehearsal, which included bhangra, giddha and other cultural activities.

However, schoolchildren participating in the rehearsal were seen wearing school uniforms instead of the cultural dresses they are supposed to wear during the Republic Day function.

The district-level function will be celebrated at the Guru Nanak Stadium. OP Soni, Punjab Minister for School Education, Food Processing and Freedom Fighters, would be the chief guest and hoist the national flag during the function. More than 2,000 school students would participate in the event.

A meeting to review the preparations for the function was chaired by Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Agrawal at Guru Nanak Stadium. The police department has made elaborate security arrangements at the stadium in view of the district-level function.

Deputy Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Agrawal said the district administration was trying to ensure maximum participation of students from government schools. He said students from 57 schools — 29 government, 18 aided and 10 private — of the district would take part in the cultural function. Families of freedom fighters would also be honoured. Deputy Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Agrawal said the function would start at 9.58 am.