Bicentenary of Jyotiba Phule: Two-year nationwide celebrations launched

New Delhi, Apr 11 (PTI): The government on Saturday launched a two-year nationwide programme as part of celebrations to mark the 200th birth anniversary of social reformer Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, whose bicentenary falls in 2027.

To guide and oversee the commemoration at the national level, a high-level committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the culture ministry said.

The 126-member panel includes former presidents Ram Nath Kovind and Pratibha Patil, former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union ministers such as Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah, along with governors, chief ministers, MPs, academicians, jurists, spiritual leaders, cultural figures, and social activists, among others.

The nationwide commemoration will run from April 11, 2026, to April 11, 2028, the ministry said in a statement. It has been approved by the National Implementation Committee (NIC) under the chairmanship of the Union home minister, it said.

The celebrations were formally launched through an inaugural programme organised by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment under the Inter-State Cultural Diversity Programme titled “Phule Across India” at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre (DAIC) here.

The programme was designed as a cultural confluence showcasing India’s diversity through region-wise thematic presentations inspired by the life, philosophy, and social reform movements of Phule.

A specially curated film highlighting his contributions to social justice, education, women’s empowerment and equality was also presented, marking the formal start of the commemorative activities, it said.

The high-level committee will provide policy direction and guidance for the formulation and implementation of programmes for the commemoration. It will approve policies, plans and programmes, supervise and guide the commemorative activities, and decide the broad framework and timelines for the celebrations, the ministry said.

The commemoration will be organised across the country through a series of programmes and activities involving ministries, state governments, educational institutions, cultural organisations, and civil society.

These will include cultural programmes, exhibitions, seminars, youth engagement initiatives, academic discussions, and outreach activities aimed at disseminating the life, ideas, and enduring legacy of Phule, who died in 1890.

Phule, born in 1827, was a pioneering social reformer who dedicated his life to the upliftment of the marginalised and the promotion of education and social equality.

His efforts in advancing women’s education, challenging social discrimination, and advocating justice laid the foundation for progressive social reform movements in India. The two-year-long commemoration seeks to celebrate his legacy in a befitting manner and to inspire citizens, particularly the youth, to carry forward his ideals of equality, education, and social justice, the ministry said. PTI KND RHL

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