Prime Minister Narendra Modi will kick off the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) on February 5.

On a day’s trip to Hyderabad on Saturday, he would proceed directly to the ICRISAT’s campus at Patancheru at 2.45 pm.

He will inaugurate Climate Change Research facility on Plant Protection and Rapid Generation Advancement facility at the institute.

The Prime Minister will also unveil a specially designed logo and launch a commemorative stamp to mark the Golden Jubilee of the institute.

The Hyderabad-based institute conducts research and develop crop varieties that are suited for smallholder farmers in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

Statue for Ramanujacharya

He would interact with the scientists and agritech startups before proceeding to Shamshabad at 5 pm where he would inaugurate the Statue of Equality, a memorial built for the 11th Century seer Ramanujacharya.

The 216-feet statue, made of ‘panchaloha’, is one of the tallest metallic statues in sitting position worldwide. It is mounted on a 54-ft high base building, named ‘Bhadra Vedi’, which has floors devoted for a Vedic digital library and research centre, ancient Indian texts and a theatre.

Being developed by Sri Ramanuja Chinna Jeeyar Swami, the memorial also comprises replicas of 108 Vaishnavite shrines in the country.

A two-week long yagna started on February 2 at the site. President Ram Nath Kovind, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah are expected to visit the site in the next ten days. Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar held a high-level meeting at the BRK Bhavan, the temporary Secretariat, on Thursday afternoon, directing the officials and police to make foolproof arrangements at the both the sites.

He directed the officials of the Medical and Health Department to ensure the crowds follow Covid-19 protocols at the venues and ensure only those tested negative for RTPCR test should be allowed

. Director General of Police M Mahender Reddy and Commissioners of Hyderabad and Cyberabad C V Anand and Stephen Ravindra attended the review meeting.