Tumakuru (PTI): President Droupadi Murmu will visit Siddaganga Math in Tumakuru on April 1 to take part in the 119th birth anniversary celebrations of Shivakumara Swamiji, Union Minister V Somanna said on Saturday.
Shivakumara Swamiji, the pontiff of the renowned Siddaganga Math, passed away at the age of 111 on January 21, 2019 in Tumakuru.
The President is scheduled to arrive in Bengaluru on the evening of March 31 and travel to Tumakuru the next morning to attend the commemorative event and associated programmes at the Math, he said.
"On April 1, she will leave at 9 AM and reach Tumakuru by helicopter at 9.30 AM," Somanna said.
He said the President would visit the Samadhi (memorial) of Shivakumara Swamiji and interact with students of the Math before participating in the main stage programme of the birth anniversary celebrations.
"After arriving in Tumakuru, she will attend the programme and then proceed to the memorial. Around 10,000 children will be gathered at one place, and she will spend about five minutes interacting with them," he said.
The minister said several dignitaries, including District In-charge Minister Parameshwara, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and other elected representatives, would be present during the event.
Describing the visit as significant, Somanna said, "Her visit to Tumakuru city and district is a matter of great pride for us, and we should all come together to welcome it."
He said preparations are under way to ensure the smooth conduct of the programme, with officials and stakeholders coordinating arrangements for the high-profile visit.
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Jammu (PTI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said India can play a meaningful role in de-escalation in West Asia, given Prime Minister Narendra Modi's strong relations with the warring countries and their neighbours.
He said Pakistan was leveraging ties with Iran and the United States, and that any effort towards ending the war should be welcomed.
"As I said in the House (Assembly), we would like the war to end as soon as possible. The role that the prime minister can play may not be possible for anyone else because of his good relations with all these countries," Abdullah told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.
He, however, said any escalation would not be easy to manage.
"Any such move by US President Donald Trump, despite the long history of Iran resisting external domination, would not be easy," the chief minister said.
Asked about Pakistan mediating in the war, he said, "I will simply say that if any country can play a role in preventing this war, no one should have any objection to it."
He added, "I will repeat what I said … our prime minister has good and close relations with all countries — whether it is Israel, the United States, Iran, or the countries around Iran. If those relationships can be used to make some progress and help ease the situation, it would be a good thing."
Abdullah said attacks by terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed in India, as suggested by a report from the United States, are not unlikely.
Meanwhile, he asserted that any efforts to end the war, be it from Pakistan, must not be resisted.
"Pakistan is using its good relations with Iran and the United States to its advantage, and it has done so. How can we object to that? If that angle helps in stopping the war, would you want them not to act and let the war continue? We want the war to stop. If any country can play a role in that, it should. And if we can play an even better role, then we should do so," he said.
On unemployment in J-K, the chief minister said the issue cannot be resolved overnight, and government jobs alone are not the solution.
He stressed the need to explore alternative avenues, highlighting the importance of Mission Yuva in promoting entrepreneurship.
"Mission Yuva provides not just funding but also support in preparing DPRs and post-startup assistance, such as marketing. In just nine months, distributing Rs 1,000 crore and approving numerous schemes is a significant achievement," he said.
Abdullah credited the coordination between the government and Jammu and Kashmir Bank for the scheme's progress.
