Telangana celebrates formation day

Hyderabad: Telangana was celebrating its first anniversary on Tuesday with colourful festivities in Hyderabad and nine other districts of the state.

Telangana came into existence as 29th state in the country on this day last year after it was carved out of Andhra Pradesh.

The week-long festivities began midnight with fireworks at 12 selected places in Hyderabad, which was illuminated to mark the occasion.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao formally kicked off Telangana formation day celebrations on Tuesday morning by paying tributes at Telangana martyrs' memorial at Gun Park near the assembly building.

He later unfurled the national flag, reviewed a colorful parade and took salute at main official function held at Parade Grounds in Secunderabad.

Telangana assembly deputy speaker Padma Devender Reddy unfurled the national flag at assembly while legislative council chairman K. Swamy Goud did the honours in the council premises.

The formation day celebrations were also held at Telangana Bhavan, the headquarters of ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) party.

Telangana Home Minister and senior TRS leader N. Narasimha Reddy hoisted the party flag.

As the TRS government is also completing one year in office, it has planned several programmes to mark the occasion to highlight the state's rich culture and also the government's achievements.

The formation day celebrations were also held with pomp and gaiety in all the district headquarters. The ministers hoisted the national flag and took salute at the official celebrations.

The celebrations were also held at the offices of Congress, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).