Surat, May 2: Surat became the focal point of celebrations for the 66th ‘Gujarat Gaurav Divas’ on May 1. The event, led by Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, featured a grand police parade, cultural performances, and public participation.
The festivities commenced with Governor Acharya Devvrat taking the salute at Y Junction, followed by the formal flag-off of the grand parade heading towards Lalbhai Contractor Stadium.
Prominent figures in attendance included Union Minister of Jal Shakti C.R. Patil, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghvi, as well as senior leaders from the state cabinet, parliament, assembly, and top administrative and police officials.
Over 750 personnel from Gujarat Police participated in the parade, led by IPS officer Dr. Naveen Chakravarti, showcasing 18 platoons. The parade featured formal drill formations and thematic floats depicting the journey of Gujarat’s development.
Motorcycle stunts by the police captivated the audience along the route, while the ceremony began with the Governor taking the salute before the parade commenced.
The Chief Minister and other dignitaries sang “Vande Mataram,” with the crowd frequently chanting “Jai Jai Garvi Gujarat” and “Bharat Mata Ki Jai.” Cultural performances, including Garba and tribal dance presentations, highlighted the state’s traditional art forms.
As part of the evening program organized by the district administration, singer Bhavin Shastri and his band performed patriotic songs, including “Jai Jai Garvi Gujarat.”
A large crowd gathered at various points along the parade route to witness the event. Among the attendees were Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai, Energy Minister Rishikesh Patel, Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani, Forest and Environment Minister Arjun Modhwadia, Health Minister Praful Pansharia, Assembly Vice President Purnesh Modi, MP Mukesh Dalal, and MLAs Arvind Rana, Mohan Dodiya, Sandeep Desai, Mukesh Patel, and Sangeeta Patil.
Deependra Singh Chundawat is a Senior Sub-Editor at Udaipur Kiran, specializing in a wide range of technology topics including mobile phones, applications, gaming, PCs, and wearables. Along with covering the latest tech news, he also creates engaging web stories. Passionate about emerging technologies, he stays up to date with the newest trends and enjoys reading and writing about the latest mobile launches and digital innovations.
