Itanagar: The month-long Golden Jubilee celebration, commemorating the 50th anniversary of naming of Arunachal Pradesh, is going to conclude on Sunday (February 20) next on the occasion of 36th Statehood Day of Arunachal Pradesh.
The valedictory function will be held at the newly-built Outdoor Stadium, Yupia – the headquarters of Papum Pare district.
Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma and Bollywood actor cum ‘brand ambassador’ Sanjay Dutt, will grace the occasion as chief guest and special guest respectively, State Assembly Speaker Pasang Dorjee Sona, who is also the chairman of Golden Jubilee Celebration Committee, told reporters here on Monday.
Sona said that all arrangements are being made as per the advice of the State Health Task Force amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic situation.
He said in the run-up to the grand celebration, there is a lineup of programmes ranging from scholarly, literary events to fashion and musical events. These include a conclave on ‘Charting the Emergence of a State Identity’ on February 16, seminar on ‘Climate Change & Sustainable Future: The Arunachal Perspective with special focus on Pakke Declaration’ (February 17), symposium on ‘Development and Change in Arunachal Pradesh in 50 Years: The Youth Perspective’ (February 18) and a film workshop on ‘History and the Moving Images’ and ‘Arunachal Ek Safarnama: Theatre Production’ (Feb 19). Award-winning film director Imtiaz Ali, who has directed films like ‘Jab We Met’ and ‘Rockstar’, will take up a session at the film workshop. Popular singer from Hindi film industry Jubin Nautiyal will perform on the D-day.
The day will also see Pratichee Mohapatra of the erstwhile girl band ‘Viva’ play, along with Indian Idol fame Salman Ali and artists from the state like Chorun Mugli, Rito Roba and others.
Explaining the rationale of roping in the Bollywood actor as the brand ambassador of the celebration, the Speaker said, “The term ‘future’ in the theme ‘Celebrating Past…Nurturing Future’ refers to the youths, who are our future and how we bring our youths to the mainstream and guide them back in the proper direction.”
The biggest challenge being faced by our youths today is drug menace. So, we thought Sanjay Dutt would be the right person to tell the story because he made a comeback out of this mess,” he mentioned.
