CM Pema Khandu pays Gandhi Jayanti tribute with Donyi Polo School
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
On the 157th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu joined fellow citizens in paying homage to the Father of the Nation — with a moment that stood out for its setting: a soulful bhajan performed by the children of Donyi Polo Mission School, a school serving hearing and visually impaired students.
A tribute amplified by young voices from Donyi Polo Mission School
Gandhi Jayanti, observed every year on 2 October, is a national holiday and one of India's three official national days. CM Khandu marked the occasion by sharing that the tribute was accompanied by a bhajan rendered by children from Donyi Polo Mission School, an institution dedicated to students with hearing and visual impairments. The choice of setting — differently abled children singing for the Mahatma — lent the commemoration a quietly resonant quality.
Donyi Polo, meaning 'Sun and Moon' in the Adi language of Arunachal Pradesh, is a faith indigenous to the state's communities. The Mission School bearing that name reflects the state's tradition of weaving local identity into its institutions of care and learning.
Gandhi Jayanti 2026 and its national significance
Across India, Gandhi Jayanti is observed with prayer meetings, tributes at Raj Ghat in New Delhi, and community events that recall Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence, truth, and service. In Itanagar and across Arunachal Pradesh, state government observances typically include official ceremonies and cultural programmes. CM Khandu's post, tagged #GandhiJayanti2026, reflects the wider national current of commemoration that runs through every corner of the country on this date.
The image of children — particularly those navigating the world without full sight or hearing — offering a musical tribute to a leader who championed the dignity of every individual carries its own quiet power. It is the kind of moment Gandhi Jayanti is meant to produce.