G Ram Mohan, Railway Safety Commissioner (Retd.), Indian Railways, was
the Chief Guest. He inaugurated the event by lighting the lamp in front of
the portraits of Mahakavi Bharathiyar, Mahatma Gandhi, and Swami Vivekananda.
Students performed a powerful skit about the Jallianwala Bagh massacre,
which moved the audience and made them reflect on the sacrifices made for
India’s freedom. In his welcome address, Sevalaya Murali, Founder and Managing
Trustee said: “G Ram Mohan,former Sevalaya Trustee and long-time donor, has
come here with great energy to inspire today’s youth. The Jallianwala Bagh
massacre was a turning point in India’s freedom movement. This event is an
effort to help the younger generation understand the hard-earned freedom we enjoy
today.” A minute of silence was observed in memory of those who lost their
lives in the massacre. The Chief Guest, G Ram Mohan, used pictures and videos
to explain the events that led to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. He said that
the British first came to India to buy spices and trade with Indians.
At that time, India had about 3 lakh soldiers, while the British had only 50,000.
However, seeing the lack of unity among Indians, the British decided to stay and
gradually took control of the country. They ruled harshly, treated Indians unfairly,
and made them feel weak and inferior.Some Indians even supported British rule
because they were attracted to the foreign goods the British introduced. But the
British behaved with a sense of superiority and discrimination.Later, the British
introduced the Rowlatt Act, which allowed them to arrest and detain people
without giving any appeal or a fair trial. Gandhiji strongly opposed this law
and launched a peaceful protest called Satyagraha. He urged all Indians to
fast and pray on 6 Apr 1919.However, the British misunderstood these peaceful
actions. In Punjab, General Dyer had banned public gatherings, but many people
were unaware of this. On 13 Apr 1919, a large crowd gathered at Jallianwala Bagh
in Amritsar to celebrate the Punjabi New Year. General Dyer saw the gathering and
ordered his soldiers to open fire without warning. More than a
thousand innocent people were killed in the tragic incident. This heartbreaking
incident became a major turning point in India’s fight for freedom.
To honour the souls of those who died, 1000 sesame balls with two for each person
were distributed, following a traditional practice of remembrance at the event.
R Vijaya, Head, Education, Sevalaya, presented a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi,
drawn by the students, to the Chief Guest. S Kanchana, Head, Value Education,
Sevalaya thanked the Chief Guest for inspiring the students and encouraging them
to love their country and contribute to its progress. 500 students and teachers participated in the event.
