President Ram Nath Kovind pays tribute to icons on Statehood Day

RANCHI: President Ram Nath Kovind enumerated Jharkhand's contributions to the nation while laying the foundation of projects, launching schemes and handing over incentives to beneficiaries of various government schemes on Jharkhand's 17th Statehood Day on Wednesday. It was for the first time that a President participated in the statehood day official function in Jharkhand.
Remembering Birsa Munda, the legendary tribal icon who sacrificed his life at the age of 25, Kovind said people must remember his sacrifice and work towards realising his dream of a self-reliant state. "I have been told that the government has started a scheme for uplifting villages of martyr freedom fighters under Shahid Gram Vikas Yojna, which is commendable," he said.
He remembered Paramveer Chakra recepient Albert Ekka, who was martyred in the 1971 Indo-Pak war, and Indian hockey player Jaipal Singh Munda, under whose leadership India bagged its the first Olympics gold medal in 1928. "This state has produced several sportsperson in the field of mountaineering, hockey, cricket, kabaddi, archery and boxing, but the contribution of Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and world number one archer Deepika Kumari needs special mention," he said.
Kovind mentioned the famous pilgrimage sites of state, included Baidyanath Dham in Deoghar, Chinnamastika temple in Rajrappa and Parshwanath temple in Giridih, besides acknowledging that the state has 40% of the country's mineral reserves. "Even the first steel plant of modern India came up here in Jamshedpur," he said.