Govt gears up for Bihar Diwas celebration, 32 departments to showcase achievements

Patna: Bihar Diwas will be celebrated from March 22 to 24 with the theme “Unnat Bihar, Ujjawal Bihar” (Advanced Bihar, Bright Bihar). The three-day festival will highlight the state’s progress, cultural heritage, and aspirations through events organised at district, block, and school/college levels.Naveen Kumar, state project director of the Bihar Education Project Council—the nodal agency for the programme—said the main events will be held at Gandhi Maidan, SK Memorial Hall, and Rabindra Bhawan. The celebrations will include cultural performances, exhibitions, food and book fairs, folk dramas, theatre shows, and other programmes showcasing Bihar’s heritage and achievements.In Patna, Bollywood performances at Gandhi Maidan will be a major attraction: singer-composer Sona Mahapatra on March 22, playback singer Shaan on March 23, and Angaraag Mahanta (Papon) on March 24. The chief minister will inaugurate the festival on March 22, and the governor will attend the closing ceremony on March 24.Around 32 departments and govt organisations will set up stalls, stages, and pavilions at Gandhi Maidan, including a cultural pavilion featuring daily performances by 13–14 local artists. Fourteen nukkad nataks on development and social themes and various side-stage acts will also be staged. Departments such as education, tourism, transport, and disaster management will have prominent pavilions. A laser show is also planned. Cultural programmes will simultaneously run at SK Memorial Hall and Rabindra Bhawan, with artist line-ups for these venues yet to be finalised.At the grassroots level, the education department has directed schools, district offices, block resource centres, and other venues to clean, paint, and decorate the premises with blue light series bulbs. Using school composite grants, activities such as Mathematics Olympiad, quizzes, painting, rangoli, fancy dress, essay writing, and debates will be organised. Winners will progress from school to block, district, and finally state-level competitions held between March 22 and 24. Prabhat Pheris, cycle rallies, and sports events will also be conducted.A ‘Smarika’ (commemorative publication) will be released during the festival, for which over 1,000 entries have been received and are currently being shortlisted. Officials said the celebration aims to strengthen community involvement, promote cleanliness, and highlight Bihar’s vibrant culture and achievements.During a review meeting on Monday, additional chief secretary B Rajendra stressed the need for a clean, safe, and visitor-friendly environment and directed officials to ensure smooth and successful conduct of the event.Bihar Diwas marks the formation of Bihar as a separate province on March 22, 1912, after its separation from the Bengal Presidency. The day celebrates the state’s cultural pride, historical legacy, and ongoing development journey.