‘National Unity Day’ held across the country

DEHRADUN, 13 May: Under the leadership of President Droupadi Murmu, the nation paid heartfelt tributes on Wednesday to India’s late President, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, on the occasion of his 121st birth anniversary and the 52nd ‘National Unity Day‘. For the past 52 years, this day has been observed as ‘National Unity Day‘.

Prayer gatherings were organized across various parts of the country to uphold the nation’s unity, security, existence, democracy, and the Constitution of India. The main prayer gathering was held this morning at the shrine of the late President, located within the Jama Masjid complex on Parliament Street, New Delhi. Following the recitation of the Quran and the Fatiha prayers, the gathering was attended by the late President’s son, Justice Badar Ahmed (former Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court); Dr Syed Farooq; the Imam of Jama Masjid (New Delhi), Maulana Muhibullah Nadvi; Shabbir Attari; Mohammad Salim; Mohammad Abid; and other dignitaries.

Addressing the gathering online, Maulana Syed Shabbir Naqshbandi Iftikhar—founder of the ‘Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Memorial Committee’—described the late President as a staunch proponent of national unity and solidarity. He stated that, in 1976, on the occasion of the late President’s birth anniversary, their committee had initiated the observance of this day as ‘National Unity Day‘. This initiative was inaugurated by the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. Maulana Shabbir urged the youth to draw inspiration from the life of the late President and to emulate his ideals, noting that he had dedicated his entire life to the unity and development of the nation. He emphasized that the late President Fakhruddin should always be remembered as a true patriot.

Meanwhile, the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, paid floral tributes to the portrait of the late Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed at a special ceremony held in the Ashoka Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan, paying homage to his services to the nation. Members of the late President’s family, including Justice Badar, were present on this occasion. Arrangements were made under the supervision of senior journalist Farzan Qureshi and the Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Memorial Committee, and the Director of the Ghalib Institute, Idrees Ahmed, offered a garland of fruits at the late President’s memorial on behalf of Ghalib House.