Bhubaneswar, April. 13: Odisha’s capital city Bhubaneswar is celebrating its 68th Foundation Day today.
It was on April 13, 1948 that first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had laid the foundation stone of the city.
World renowned German architect and urban planner Otto Koenigsberger prepared the city’s first master plan in 1948 for a population of 40 thousand.
Since then, Bhubaneswar remains a celebrated model of modern architecture and city planning.
In the Smart City proposal, Bhubaneswar stood number one among the best cities of India with a score of 78.83 points.
The city remains a notable paradigm of modern town planning and architecture in India.
The celebrations began in front of the Odisha Legislative Assembly here on Wednesday with Speaker Niranjan Pujari taking salute from a civilian parade participated by school and college students.
Higher Education Minister Pradeep Panigrahy, Culture Minister Ashok Chandra Panda and DGO KB Singh graced the occasion as guests.
The Speaker gave away Rajdhani Gourav Samman-2016 to 13 eminent persons on the occasion.
The Foundation Day would be observed for three days till April 15 with holding of cultural programmes at the Indira Gandhi Park from 5 pm to 10 pm every day.
According to the schedule, school and college students would hold cultural programmes this evening. At 7 pm a prize distribution programme will be instituted in which nine eminent persons would be given away Rajdhani Shree Samman-2016. Thereafter, a cultural programme would be organised on behalf of the Culture Department. Music Director Basudev Rath and his group would perform.
Bhubaneswar became the capital city on this day in 1948. First Prime Minister of the Country Pt Jawaharl Nehru had laid foundation stone for it.
