Water Resources and Housing Minister Mons Joseph hoisted the national flag at the district level Independence Day celebrations held in Kottayam on Saturday.

Addressing the gathering, the Minister called upon people to preserve Kerala’s achievements in various sectors and work towards recovery in areas where the State had suffered setbacks.

The State government was working towards an administrative system that would ensure housing for all homeless poor families, provide higher education opportunities within Kerala, create employment for those completing their studies, promote entrepreneurship and support farmers, who form the backbone of the economy. It also aimed to ensure that government employees could discharge their duties with a sense of security and guarantee justice for all sections of society, he said.

District Collector Chetan Kumar Meena, District Police Chief K.M. Sabu Mathew, Kottayam municipal chairperson M.P. Santhosh Kumar and others attended the function.

Twenty-five platoons from the Police, Excise, and Forest departments, Fire and Rescue Services, NCC, Student Police Cadets, Scouts and Guides, Junior Red Cross and band participated in the parade.

District police headquarters reserve inspector D. Jayakumar was the parade commander. The district police headquarters platoon, led by reserve sub-inspector Bitu Thomas, won first place in the uniformed forces category. Sub-inspector Varsha Madhu of Kanjirappally police station, who led the women police platoon, was adjudged the best parade commander.

In Pathanamthitta

In Pathanamthitta, Cultural Affairs and Tourism Minister P.C. Vishnunadh hoisted the national flag at the district level Independence Day celebrations .

Addressing the gathering, the Minister said Independence Day was also an occasion to remember with pride the achievements the country had made over the years. Every Indian should have a sense of pride in how far the country had travelled from where it began, he said.

The occasion was also an opportunity to reflect on why India fought for independence, where the freedom struggle began and where the rights secured through freedom should be taken in the future, he said.

The Minister also expressed appreciation for the support and services rendered by the armed forces, people’s representatives and the public during the recent floods.

District Police Chief R. Anand and District Collector A. Nizamuddin were present. Twenty-one platoons from the Police, Excise, and Forest departments, Fire and Rescue Services, Student Police Cadets, NCC, SPC band, Civil Defence, Junior Red Cross, Scouts and Guides participated in the parade.

Pathanamthitta district police headquarters camp reserve inspector K.N. Bijulal was the parade commander. The Pathanamthitta district police headquarters camp platoon, led by reserve sub-inspector S. Gopakumar, secured first place in the armed forces category, while the forest team, led by section officer O.A. Shyamkumar, topped the non-uniformed forces category.

The Peace Warrior Award, instituted for spreading the message of peace and brotherhood through creative initiatives, was presented to M. Dheeraj, a third-year undergraduate student at NSS College, Pandalam.

Published - August 15, 2026 07:59 pm IST