The Ahmedabad Municipal School Board, which had asked students to dress as famous personalities as part of the celebrations of the Gujarat foundation day on May 1 and suggested 16 names, removed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Anandiben Patel from the list of options in its final circular.
The draft circular for the three-day celebrations (April 29-May 1) of “Gujarat Gaurav Divas” had suggested the names of Modi, Patel and NASA astronaut Sunita Williams to the students of Class I to Class V for the fancy dress competition.
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However, in the final circular to more than 450 AMC schools, these three names were dropped.
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While chairman of the AMC School Board Jagdish Bhavsar expressed ignorance in the matter, L D Desai, Administrative Officer (AO), who issued the circular, said: “The competition (veshbhusha) was suggested by the Education Department, while the names were shortlisted by the school board. The 16-name list was a part of the proposal submitted for approval. Later, we decided that no living personality should be included in the list… There is no other reason for this decision.”
The final circular, dated April 7, mentioned 13 personalities: Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Ravishankar Maharaj, Morari Bapu, Veer Narmad, Zaverchand Meghani, Kavi Kalapi, Indulal Yagnik, Vikram Sarabhai, Narsinh Mehta, Dayanand Saraswati, Akho and Premanand.
The names of Modi, Patel and Williams were on serial numbers 14, 15 and 16. The ancestral village of Williams is Jhulasan in Mehsana district and she is also the first cousin of slain BJP leader Haren Pandya. When asked how popular Ram-kathakar Morari Bapu was on the list, Desai said, “He has been listed under the sant (saint) category.”
The winners of the competition would fetch a prize money ranging from Rs 501 to Rs 3,000.
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A total of 11 activities for children, including painting, essay writing, cleanliness drive, have been finalised for the Gujarat Day celebrations.
Ritu Sharma is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express' Gujarat bureau, an editorial position that reflects her experience and Authority in regional journalism. With over a decade of concentrated reporting experience, she is a highly Trustworthy and specialized journalist, especially noted for her Expertise in the education sector across Gujarat and previously Chandigarh.
Expertise
Primary Authority (Education): With over ten years of dedicated reporting on education in both Gujarat and Chandigarh, Ritu Sharma is a foremost authority on educational policy, institutional governance, and ground realities from "KG to PG." Her coverage includes:
Higher Education: In-depth scrutiny of top institutions like IIM-Ahmedabad (controversies over demolition/restoration of heritage architecture), IIT-Bombay (caste discrimination issues), and new initiatives like international branch campuses in GIFT City.
Schooling & Policy: Detailed coverage of government schemes (Gyan Sadhana School Voucher Scheme), the implementation and impact of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, teacher recruitment issues, and the impact of national policies like the NEP.
Student Welfare: Reporting on critical issues such as suicide allegations due to caste discrimination, and the challenges faced by students (e.g., non-delivery of NAMO tablets). ... Read More
