Blood donation drive, temple prayers, village celebrations and outreach to students and tribal communities define a day dedicated to public welfare
TFP Bureau, Raipur, February 21: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai marked his 62nd birthday on Friday with a series of programmes reflecting service to society, spiritual devotion and close engagement with the public across the state.
The day began in the state capital with the Chief Minister inaugurating a blood donation camp organised at his official residence. The camp, held to commemorate his birthday, commenced with prayers offered to Lord Dhanvantari, the deity of health and medicine. Shri Sai personally interacted with blood donors, felicitated them and encouraged voluntary blood donation as a noble humanitarian act.
The blood donation initiative was organised by Alpha Globe Foundation in association with Shivnath Blood Center, with special arrangements made for 62 donors, symbolising the Chief Minister’s 62 years of life. Addressing the gathering, Shri Sai described blood donation as maha daan, stating that timely availability of blood during accidents, childbirth and critical illnesses often becomes the difference between life and death. He informed that donors were issued certificates, enabling them or their family members to receive blood free of cost in the future.
Organisers also shared that the institution has set a target of collecting nearly 11,000 units of blood over the year, with coordinated efforts planned with various blood banks to ensure free availability of blood to needy patients. A road safety awareness programme was also conducted alongside the camp, highlighting the importance of responsible driving and strict adherence to traffic rules.
The Chief Minister appealed especially to the youth to donate blood at least once every year and to follow traffic regulations diligently to protect precious lives. He expressed gratitude to the donors, organisers, medical teams and the Health Department for their collective efforts in making the initiative successful. Education Minister Gajendra Yadav, CGMSC Chairman Deepak Mhaskey, Chhattisgarh Tourism Board Chairman Neelu Sharma, senior officials, representatives of Alpha Globe Foundation and health personnel were present on the occasion.
Later in the day, the Chief Minister visited the historic Shri Jagannath Temple, Dokra in Jashpur district, where he offered prayers with traditional rituals before Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra. Accompanied by his wife Kaushalya Sai and family members, Shri Sai performed parikrama within the temple premises and sought blessings for peace, prosperity, good health and overall well-being of the people of Chhattisgarh.
He offered special prayers for harmony and sustained development in the state, reiterating that public welfare remains the top priority of his government. MLA Gomati Sai, Commissioner Narendra Dugga, IG Deepak Kumar Jha, Collector Rohit Vyas, SSP Lal Umed Singh and a large number of villagers and public representatives were present during the temple visit.
The Chief Minister’s birthday was also celebrated with warmth and enthusiasm in his native village Bagia, where he received an outpouring of public affection. Upon reaching his residence, Shri Sai first sought blessings from his mother Jasmani Devi by touching her feet. Throughout the day, a steady stream of well-wishers, including public representatives, officials, employees and villagers, gathered to extend birthday greetings and pray for his long life and good health.
A Satyanarayan Vrat Katha listening programme was organised at Ram Sadan in Bagia, where the Chief Minister, along with his mother, wife and other family members, participated with devotion and prayed for peace, prosperity and happiness in the state. Expressing gratitude, Shri Sai said that the love and blessings of the people are his greatest strength and motivation to serve Chhattisgarh with dedication.
During his visit, the Chief Minister also encouraged young sporting talent by distributing 15 cricket kits to students of the Government Pre-Matric Girls Hostel, Ichkela, who have brought laurels to the district through their achievements in cricket at the state and national levels. Congratulating the students, he urged them to pursue discipline, hard work and determination to achieve greater success and bring pride to the state and the country.
In another significant interaction, members of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) Pahadi Korwa community from Bagicha met the Chief Minister in traditional attire, carrying bows and arrows symbolic of their rich cultural heritage. They informed him about the rapid progress of development works in their areas, especially improvements in basic infrastructure under the Pradhan Mantri Janman Yojana. Shri Sai assured them that the state government remains fully committed to the holistic development and welfare of particularly vulnerable tribal communities.
The series of events across Raipur, Jashpur and Bagia underscored a birthday marked not by personal celebration alone, but by service, spirituality and reaffirmation of the Chief Minister’s connect with the people of Chhattisgarh.
