Odisha Gears Up for ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’, 60 Lakh Flags to Reach Homes Across State

Bhubaneswar: Odisha is set to turn the spirit of patriotism into a state-wide public movement with the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign being organised from August 9 to 17, featuring Tiranga rallies, cultural programmes, flag-making initiatives, exhibitions and public participation activities across districts.

The campaign will be organised under the aegis of the Odia Language, Literature & Culture Department, with programmes planned from the state capital to blocks and gram panchayats. Culture Minister Suryabanshi Suraj announced the programme at a press conference at Sanskruti Bhavan in Bhubaneswar on Saturday.

The Minister said the campaign would be organised under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, with the participation of people from different sections of society.

To support district-level activities, the Culture Department has provided ₹10 lakh to each district for organising the campaign.

The celebrations will begin with a state-level Tiranga Rally on August 9, organised under the Sports & Youth Services Department in collaboration with various government departments. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi will attend the rally as the chief guest.

The rally will begin at Hatiasuni Ground and proceed towards Lumbini Vihar Road. Government employees, youth, students, sportspersons, voluntary organisations, NCC and NSS volunteers and members of the public are expected to participate. Similar rallies will also be organised at the district level.

A major component of the campaign will be the distribution of 60 lakh national flags across Odisha. The flags are being prepared by women Self-Help Groups under Mission Shakti.

As of noon on August 8, around 45.40 lakh flags had already been prepared. The Culture Department has provided ₹15 crore to the Mission Shakti Department for the initiative.

Suraj said the participation of women SHG members in preparing the national flags was a matter of pride and would further strengthen community participation in the campaign.

The state will also observe Partition Horrors Remembrance Day on August 14. The Odisha Sahitya Akademi will organise the state-level programme, featuring a photo exhibition, short-film screenings and a theatrical presentation depicting the experiences and consequences of Partition.

Families affected by Partition will be invited to share their experiences and will be felicitated during the programme. A silent candle march will follow the event.

The state-level Independence Day celebration on August 15 will be organised under the Information & Public Relations Department. The Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi will host a patriotic musical programme titled ‘Bharatiyam’ at Rabindra Mandap. A special concert will also be held to mark the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram.

Other attractions planned as part of the celebrations include sand art, a large-scale rangoli exhibition and ‘Selfie with Tiranga’ booths.

From August 9 to 17, citizens will be able to take selfies with the national flag and upload their photographs on the Har Ghar Tiranga website, besides downloading digital certificates. An online quiz will also be conducted through the MyGov portal, with students from schools, colleges and universities encouraged to participate.

Emphasising the significance of the campaign, Suraj said ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ is not merely a government programme but an opportunity for citizens to come together in honour of the country.

“Tiranga is our identity and our pride,” the Minister said, appealing to private institutions, NGOs, voluntary organisations and citizens to participate actively and display the national flag at their homes.

He urged people across Odisha to join the campaign and make the celebrations a collective expression of patriotism and national unity.

Secretary of the Odia Language, Literature & Culture Department Dr Bijay Ketan Upadhyay, Secretary of Odisha Sahitya Akademi Dr Chandra Sekhar Hota and Deputy Director of the Culture Department Dr Devjani Bhuyan were present at the press conference.