MP Ravindra Waikar Leads Grand Independence Day Celebrations in Mumbai North-West; Pays Tribute to 100+ Foot National Flag and Honours Serving & Former Soldiers

MP Ravindra Waikar Leads Grand Independence Day Celebrations in Mumbai North-West; Pays Tribute to 100+ Foot National Flag and Honours Serving & Former Soldiers

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 18: In a grand display of patriotism, national unity and community participation, Hon’ble Member of Parliament from Mumbai North-West, Shri Ravindra Waikar, led a series of Independence Day celebrations across the Mumbai North-West Lok Sabha constituency on 15 August, responding to the call of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s “Har Ghar Tiranga” campaign.

One of the key highlights of the celebrations was the ceremonial salute to a magnificent national flag measuring more than 100 feet in height, specially installed at Matoshree Club, Jogeshwari. The event witnessed an atmosphere of immense patriotic enthusiasm, with residents, community representatives, public representatives, social workers, party functionaries, police and administrative officials coming together to celebrate the spirit of India’s Independence.

The national flag was accorded a ceremonial salute in the presence of Shri Ravindra Waikar, who emphasised that the Tricolour is not merely a national symbol but an embodiment of India’s unity, sovereignty, sacrifice and collective aspirations. The celebrations were designed to take the message of patriotism beyond formal ceremonies and encourage citizens, particularly young people, to actively participate in nation-building.

Special Honour for Serving and Former Soldiers

A major feature of the programme was the felicitation and honouring of serving and former members of the Armed Forces from the Mumbai North-West Lok Sabha constituency. Shri Ravindra Waikar personally honoured the soldiers and veterans, acknowledging their service, sacrifice and contribution towards protecting the nation.

The honouring ceremony reflected the importance of recognising not only those currently serving the country but also veterans and their families, whose dedication continues to inspire generations. Shri Waikar highlighted that society must remain grateful to the Armed Forces and ensure that the contribution of soldiers is remembered with dignity and respect.

Bringing Communities Together Through National Celebrations

The Independence Day programmes organised across the constituency were envisioned as platforms for bringing people from different sections of society together. Shri Ravindra Waikar’s broader vision is to use national occasions and community programmes to strengthen social harmony, civic participation and a sense of collective responsibility among residents.

The “Har Ghar Tiranga” initiative provides an opportunity for citizens to celebrate Independence not only at government institutions or public venues but also within neighbourhoods, housing societies, community organisations and families. Through such programmes, people from different backgrounds can come together under one national identity–the Indian Tricolour.

The celebrations also sought to encourage the younger generation to understand the significance of Independence Day, the sacrifices made during India’s freedom struggle and the responsibilities that come with being citizens of a democratic nation. By involving youth, residents, social organisations and community leaders, such programmes can help create stronger bonds between communities and promote a shared vision for a developed and united India.

Distinguished Presence of Officials and Community Leaders

The patriotic gathering was attended by several administrative, police and community representatives. Among those present were Shri Sameer Wankhede, ACP Shri Rane, Senior Police Inspector of MIDC Police Station Shri Ghanshyam Nair, Meghwadi Police Station officer Shri Saligram, Assistant Commissioner Rupali Kadam, Manisha Waikar , Jogeshwari Vibhag Dnyaneshwar Sawant, Priyanka Ambolkar, Aniruddha Narkar, Chandravati More Ex Corporator , Goregoan Vibhag pramukh Pramila Shinde , Dipti Waikar-Potnis Shivsena Legal head Loksabha and Prajakta Waikar-Mahale Shivsena legal head , Dr Amey Potnis Jogeshwari Doctor cell along with Shiv Sena office-bearers, branch heads and a large number of local residents.

Their participation added significance to the celebrations and reflected the collective involvement of public representatives, civic authorities, police personnel and citizens in commemorating the nation’s Independence.

A Vision of Unity, Patriotism and Social Responsibility

Speaking on the significance of the celebrations, Shri Ravindra Waikar reiterated that patriotic occasions should become opportunities to strengthen the relationship between citizens and the nation. The objective is to create an environment where people come together irrespective of their social, economic or community backgrounds and participate in activities that reinforce national pride.

The celebrations in Mumbai North-West therefore went beyond flag hoisting. They created a platform for honouring national service, recognising community participation, encouraging youth engagement and strengthening the spirit of unity.

The sight of the towering Tricolour at Matoshree Club, accompanied by the participation of citizens and the felicitation of soldiers and veterans, served as a powerful reminder that the strength of India lies in its people and their collective commitment to the nation.

The Independence Day celebrations led by Shri Ravindra Waikar reaffirmed the message that the Tricolour belongs to every Indian and that national unity is strengthened when citizens come together to celebrate, remember sacrifices and contribute towards the country’s progress.

National Flag To be installed at tourist places.: Shri G Kishan Reddy

National Flag To be installed at tourist places.: Shri G Kishan Reddy

The three days National Conference of State Tourism Ministers at Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh concluded on September 20 in the presence of Union Tourism Minister Shri G. Kishan Reddy. Tourism Ministers of 12 States including Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Goa, Haryana, Mizoram, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra, and Himachal Pradesh attended the conference.

During concluding remarks, Shri G Kishan Reddy thanked all the State delegates and sector representatives for their valuable suggestions. Shri Reddy urged that all states share and adopt best practices to boost the tourism sector. States must organize such conferences at the state level with district officers of different departments and stakeholders to improve and promote tourism destinations. Shri Reddy emphasized on the importance of Yuva Tourism Clubs and said these clubs can become a game changer for the sector.

Shri Reddy also informed that National Flag will be installed at tourist places. He also appealed to the states and stakeholders to install flags at all hotels and tourist places. The Union Minister said that such conferences will be organized from time to time to provide an opportunity to learn from one another and hoped that this will yield desired results very soon.

Talking about the outcome of the conference, Secretary Tourism Shri Arvind Singh said India will play a pivotal role in contributing towards global tourism recovery driven mainly through domestic tourism. All the major tourism indices have started showing signs of recovery towards the pre-pandemic levels such as domestic air passenger traffic, hotel occupancy, and tourist footfalls. The National Tourism Policy has been drafted with a holistic vision and strategy to revive India’s Tourism and targets to achieve USD 1 Trillion by the sector in 2047. Against this backdrop, the Ministry is also paving the way for developing responsible and sustainable tourism destinations. The Government of India will continue to support MSMEs in tourism and capitalize on the employment generation potential in the sector. Various initiatives under the ongoing schemes of the Ministry of Tourism are planned to be strengthened to ensure a complete recovery from the disruption caused to the tourism economy due to the pandemic.

Shri Arvind further said that India plans to position itself as a major tourism destination during its presidency of G20 for 2023. We plan to ensure due rigor, and dedication and showcase our cultural richness while welcoming the world to our nation. We plan to bring in necessary interventions including Visa Reforms, Ease of Travel, traveler-friendly Immigration Facilities at Airports, and openness to international travel, and these major topics were deliberated during the two-day meet.

Informing about the goals for the India Tourism Sector for 2024 he said that we will strive to recover to pre-pandemic level by mid-2024. The country is estimated to achieve 50 Bn USD GDP contribution from Tourism, 30 Bn USD in Foreign Exchange Earnings, and 15 Mn foreign arrivals by 2024.

He further said that India is estimated to grow at 7-9% CAGR in the coming decade and 250 Bn USD GDP contribution from Tourism, 137 Mn jobs in the Tourism sector, 56 Bn USD in Foreign Exchange Earnings, and 25 million foreign arrivals are expected to be achieved by 2030. We commit to deliver plans aligned with these goals and commitments to ensure positioning of India as one of the leaders in the tourism sector by 2047.

On the last day of conference sessions on Role of digital technology for the marketing and promotion of tourism destinations, the Emerging importance of homestays in the Indian hospitality sector, Ayurveda, Wellness, and Medical Value travel, and lastly on Forest and wildlife tourism were organized.  Secretary Electronics and Information Technology, GoI Shri Alkesh Sharma, Secretary Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, GoI Shri Rajesh Aggarwal, G20 Sherpa Shri Amitabh Kant, Member NITI Aayog Dr. Vinod Kumar Paul, Additional Secretary Health & Family Welfare Shri Lav Agarwal, Secretary Tourism Shri Arvind Singh, DG Tourism Shri G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, and other senior officers of the Ministries also graced the event.