T is born

• Fireworks, illuminations, music and dance usher in new State
• Main celebrations at People’s Plaza, Necklace Road
• Cultural programmes reflecting the rich culture of Telangana were performed at Tank Bund
• Assembly bldg, Secretariat, Gandhi Bhavan, Gun Park, Charminar and several flyovers were illuminated
• In Warangal a 50-foot Martyrs Memorial was inaugurated

TRS party president K Chandrasekhar Rao is all set to assume office as the first Chief Minister of Telangana at 8.15 am today. After the swearing-in ceremony, KCR would attend the official celebrations of Telangana Formation Day at Parade Grounds.

The celebrations by all political parties began at 9 pm on Sunday and continued till the wee hours of Monday. The skies in Hyderabad witnessed light and thunder following fireworks and bursting of crackers by specially trained people who were brought from other states. The main celebration was held at People’s Plaza at Necklace Road on the banks of Hussain Sagar.

A massive non - stop dazzling display of fireworks, including fragrant crackers and colourful rain crackers, lasting about an hour adorned the skies from midnight near the Hussain Sagar lake in the heart of the city. Similar celebrations were held at four other places in the city including the residence of Chief Minister-designate K Chandrasekhar Rao and the party office, Telangana Bhavan. Several cultural programmes highlighting the language, traditions, culture and festivals of Telangana were held at several points at Tank Bund and there was an air of festivity all around. Crackers were burst at Tank Bund for about one hour. A large number of people including children poured on to the roads to usher in the formation of the new state. The Assembly building, Gandhi Bhavan, Secretariat, Charminar besides flyovers in the city were illuminated on the occasion. Songs like Jaya Jaya hey Telangana Janani Janaketanam…. were played at various places in the city.

Giant cut-outs of the founder of TRS and chief minister-designate KCR, large pink coloured balloons with his portrait emblazoned and festoons of the party flag were displayed at vantage points. Even the large traffic roundabout, with the larger than life size statue of Indira Gandhi at its centre, near the State Secretariat had not been spared. Welcoming the dawn of the new state, TJAC Chairman Prof M Kodandaram said it was the most memorable moment in his life. A 60-year-old dream has been finally been fulfilled. At the same time he feels saddened a part of the Telangana people, the adivasis who live in seven mandals under Bhadrachalam division have been left in the lurch.

This is the most cherished moment for each and every Telanganite since their dream is finally becoming a reality," said Karne Prabhakar, the TRS politburo member. Baladeer Gaddar administered the oath that the people of T state will never forget the sacrifices of the martyrs. Leaders and workers of the Congress, TDP, BJP, Left parties and MIM also celebrated the momentous occasion of the emergence of the 29th State of the country from Sunday night.

Telangana Congress leaders D Srinivas, K Jana Reddy, N Uttam Kumar Reddy, V Hanumantha Rao, DK Aruna and others under the leadership of TPCC chief Ponnala Lakshmaiah took part in the festivities, held at Gandhi Bhavan, the party's State headquarters and offices of DCCs (District Congress Committees) to mark the advent of Telangana State.

Apart from taking out a torch light rally from Gandhi Bhavan to Telangana martyrs memorial, located at Gun Park here to pay tributes to the youngsters, who had laid down their lives for the sake of getting Statehood to the region, Congress leaders organised blood donation camps and meetings in every district headquarter across the new State on Sunday to make merry of the emergence of the new State. The BJP celebrated the event by cutting a cake and bursting of crackers.

In Warangal, a 50-foot Amara Veerula Stupam, (Martyrs memorial) constructed with donations from the people and was inaugurated. The families of the martyrs in the district were honoured. A massive jyoti was also lit near the memorial. The Jana Sena party president Pawan Kalyan, in a statement, also conveyed his good wishes to the new state and said that it was a historic day for the people of the region as their six-decade-old dream had now become a reality.