Flagpole at Fort St. George being refurbished
The Hindu
As the country prepares for the 77th Independence Day celebrations, the State government is refurbishing the rampart and the flagpole in Fort St. George
As the country prepares for the 77th Independence Day celebrations, the State government is refurbishing the rampart and the flagpole in Fort St. George. Officials said they were strengthening the rampart and the 148-feet flagpole, one of the tallest in the country. “It was the tallest in the country at the time of Independence,” said V. Sriram, historian of Chennai.
The fort was named after St. George since it was the first factory within the fortified enclosure completed on April 23, 1640, on St. George’s Day. It was the East India Company’s principal settlement until 1774, when Calcutta was declared to be the seat of the government.
The national flag was hoisted by Governors till 1974. It was former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, a strong advocate of State autonomy, who persuaded the Centre to grant the right to hoist the flag to Chief Ministers.
The Opposition Congress demanded that the government open the Gandhi Vatika Museum, depicting Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy and freedom struggle, built at a cost of ₹85 crore in Jaipur’s Central Park last year, during the Congress-led regime in Rajasthan. The museum has not been opened to the public, reportedly because of the administration’s engagements with the State Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
Almaya Munnettam (Lay People to the Fore), group in the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church opposed to the synod-recommended Mass, rejected a circular issued by Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil and apostolic administrator Bosco Puthur on June 9 to implement the unified Mass in the archdiocese from July 3.
Pakistan coach Gary Kirsten stated that “not so great decision making” contributed to his side’s defeat to India in the Group-A T20 World Cup clash here on Sunday. The batting unit came apart in the chase, after being well placed at 72 for two. With 48 runs needed from eight overs, Pakistan found a way to panic and lose. “Maybe not so great decision making,” Kirsten said at the post-match press conference, when asked to explain the loss.