PM to Kick Off ICRISAT's Golden Jubilee Celebrations on Feb 5

On February 5, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISATGolden )'s Jubilee celebrations. On a day trip to Hyderabad on Saturday, he planned to arrive at 2.45 p.m. at the ICRISAT campus in Patancheru.

At the institute, he will dedicate the Climate Change Research Facility on Plant Protection and the Rapid Generation Advancement Facility.

The Prime Minister will also unveil a specially designed logo and issue a commemorative stamp to commemorate the institute's Golden Jubilee.

The institute, based in Hyderabad, conducts research and develops crop varieties for smallholder farmers in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Statue for Ramanujacharya

He would meet with scientists and agritech startups before heading to Shamshabad at 5 p.m. to dedicate the Statue of Equality, a memorial to the 11th-century seer Ramanujacharya.

The 216-foot-tall statue, made of 'panchaloha,' is one of the world's tallest metallic statues in sitting position. It is atop a 54-foot-tall base building called 'Bhadra Vedi,' which houses a Vedic digital library and research centre, ancient Indian texts, and a theatre.

The memorial, designed by Sri Ramanuja Chinna Jeeyar Swami, also includes replicas of the country's 108 Vaishnavite shrines.

On February 2, a two-week yagna began at the site. President Ram Nath Kovind, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Home Minister Amit Shah are all scheduled to visit the site within the next ten days. On Thursday afternoon, Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar convened a high-level meeting at the BRK Bhavan, the temporary Secretariat, and directed officials and police to make foolproof arrangements at both sites.

He directed Medical and Health Department officials to ensure that crowds adhere to Covid-19 protocols at the venues and that only those who tested negative for the RTPCR test be admitted.

The review meeting was attended by the Director-General of Police, M Mahender Reddy, as well as the Commissioners of Hyderabad and Cyberabad, C V Anand and Stephen Ravindra.