In today`s function the Governor offered floral tributes to the portrait of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi and was followed in turn by ministers, MLAs, state officials and officers of the Manipur secretariat who also gave offerings to Gandhiji.
Bhajans were presented on the occasion and later the people present at the function remained silent for two minutes as a homage to all those who sacrificed their lives in the Indian freedom struggle.
The day was also observed at the head office of the Social Volunteers` Association, Sagolband Tera Yengkhom Leirak Machin where floral tributes were offered to the late leader and two minutes silence kept in his honour.
The day was also observed today at the Shri Shri Bal Mukunda Dev Government Music College at Palace Compound in Imphal in a function jointly organised by the Kasturba Gandhi Institute for Development, Manipur (KGID), UNICEF (unite for children) and Gandhi Smriti, New Delhi.
Floral tributes to the leader of the independence struggle were followed by bhajans and later Padmashri awardee RK Jhalajit spoke on the topic "Gandhi`s view on sanitation". He elaborated on the difficulty faced by human beings in surviving without proper sanitation facilities and added that a healthy mind required cleanliness.
He further said that in the present day changing scenario there was need to work together by both men and women for improved sanitation. As the household works were done generally by the women, men also need to take up responsibilities outside the house, he added.
"Work hard for sanitation," was the message he gave to the younger generation.
Prizes were also distributed for the inter school painting competition held yesterday on the occasion.
Mendarina Narumbam of Little Flower School studying in Class VII, Lourangbam Iland of Loyda School, Bishnupur studying in Class VIII and Yaiphathoibi Saikhon of Vale Academy studying in Class V took the first, second and third prizes respectively.