Chandigarh airport renamed after Bhagat Singh

 

 

THE international airport here was on Wednesday renamed Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, Chandigarh, days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement in this regard.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who was the chief guest at an event at the airport, thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for deciding to rename the airport after the iconic freedom fighter. Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Haryana Bandaru Dattatreya, Union Minister V K Singh, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij and Chandigarh MP Kirron Kher were also present at the event. During his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio broadcast on Sunday, PM Modi had announced that the airport would be renamed after Bhagat Singh as a tribute to the freedom fighter.

The 115th birth anniversary of the freedom fighter is being celebrated on Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion, Union Finance Minister Sitharaman said she felt honoured to be present at the event.

“Through this small gesture, we are remembering the immense sacrifice the young people like Shaheed Bhagat Singh made during the freedom struggle. “We are fortunate that we are able to dedicate ourselves in at least remembering the great sacrifice,” she added. She also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for deciding to rename the airport.

Sitharaman added that she was grateful that the Punjab and Haryana governments overcame their differences to come together over the name change.

She also spoke about Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) and the target to turn the country into a developed nation by 2047, on the 100th year of Independence. “We should be known as a developed country by 2047,” she said. She added that India was at 11th in terms of economic strength 10 years ago.