Haryana Child Welfare Council claims world record as 4,96,850 children participate in ‘Bal Mahotsav’
Ravi S Singh
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, February 3
The Haryana State Council for Child Welfare (HSCCW) has applied to the Guinness Book of World Records and the Limca Book of Records for the largest participation of children in the 2020 edition of its annual ‘Bal Mahotsav’.
The latest edition of the event was organised virtually due to lockdown protocols.
“We have applied to two organisations to recognise the world record for online participation,” said HSCCW honorary general secretary Krishan Dhull.
He said the HSCCW has also applied to the Asia Book of Records.
While Haryana Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya is the ex-officio President of HSCCW, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar is the ex-officio Vice-President.
The event was organised in two phases: at the district-level from October 10 to November 10 last year, which culminated in a state-level event from January 16-20 this year.
Arya presided over the concluding ceremony of the event.
Dhull said that a total of 4,96,850 children participated in the Mahotsav, with girls outnumbering boys.
While 1,49,489 boys participated in the event, girls’ participation was 3,47,361. In effect, while male participants accounted for 30.1 per cent of the total participation, females accounted for 69.9 per cent.
Besides, about a crore of people was contacted through digital platforms regarding the event.
The participation in the preceding edition of the Mahotsav was 50,000.
Several competitive activities, including sporting and cultural, were organised for the participants.
Dhull said it was a great challenge to organise the event on account of the Covid-19 pandemic, the lockdown and the norms of social distancing.
While a total of Rs 22 lakh was distributed as prize money to about 13,000 winners at the district level, 592 winners at the state level were distributed a cumulative amount of Rs 40 lakh.
Dhull said the dignitaries who took part as guests in the events, gave monetary contribution as grants to the tune of Rs 3 crore for the HSCCW.
The money will be used for the construction of a mini Bal Bhawan of the HSCCW in Ballabgarh.
Dhull lauded Chief Minister ML Khattar for providing care and support to the HSCCW.
With regard large number of girl participation in the Mahotsav, he said it should be seen as the growing progress of women in the state.
“It is the result of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for ‘Beti Padhao Beti Bachaao” and its implementation by Chief Minister ML Khattar,” Dhull said.
