Hyderabad: Freemasons of Telangana today observed Universal Brotherhood Day(UBD) here in the city at Goshamahal Baradari Masonic Building at Goshamahal.
A two-minute silence was observed as a remark of respect to the 20 Galwan Martyrs who made supreme sacrifice in service of the nation.
UBD was the 17th Edition, which 20,000 Freemason in India and millions across the globe observe 24th June as Universal Brotherhood Day every year.
The program was organised under the leadership of three Assistant Regional Grand Masters(ARGMs) Madan Mohan Lal, Maddulete, and D. Ramchandram. Senior members of the fraternity Vishwanathan Ganesh, Suresh Khemani graced the occasion and explained the importance of Universal Brotherhood Day.
Speaking on the occasion Madan Mohan, Maddulete and D. Ramchandram said: “the Universal Brotherhood Day day is observed to commemorate the formation of Grand Lodge of England when Freemasonry in its present form took shape 303 years ago on this very date in 1717”.
UBD is also observed by Freemasons to propagate, ideate the basic concept of Freemasonry, they added. To mark the occasion, “Gift-A-Livelihood” an initiative to help small traders, self-employed and petty traders affected by COVID-19 to restart their businesses was launched. And gave away materials, tools, sewing machines, bicycles to 15 beneficiaries. It’s members Indersingh Malhotra and others helped in identifying beneficiaries.
The beneficiaries were comprised of four women who do tailoring, a cobbler, a scooter mechanic, a tea vendor, four priests who were given away bicycles to commute; pushcart for a fruit vendor, Cutting, Drilling Machines to a Carpenter, an Electrician, a petty trader at Gurudwara with belts and locks.
Freemasons earlier handed over a still camera Canon 200 D Mark-II to P. Manohar Chary, a 9th Class Student who wants to pursue his photography hobby and also earn pocket money to support his education. The boy earned Rs 1000/- pocket money during the lockdown and support a family of four with rice sufficient for two months.
The total project was worth Rs 1.65 lakh.
A new initiative “Freemasons Meals on Wheels” was flagged off to feed the food to 500 poor people in honour and memory of Col B Santosh Babu & 19 other martyrs. This was taken up in association with Amma Odi, an NGO.
Freemasons Meals on Wheels is a pilot project to undertake distribution of meals to the poor continuously in future.
110kgs of Mangoes were gifted to the poor funded by Mrs Jhansi, a homemaker. Mangoes bring happiness in the life of sad people and craziness in serious people informed the donor Mrs Jhansi, a resident of Musheerabad.
Winners of Paint Karona, Drawing competition were given away prizes and certificates at their respective homes.
Brotherhood means living peaceably together, to help and love one another. The day among other things propagates that all the people living on the earth are one. So all of us should live together with good relations and share happiness and sorrow.
Freemasons members Ramesh Manchala, Indersingh, K Hari Prasad, P. Veerabhadrudu, G. Ashok Kumar, Sagar Gala, SP Chandu, Praful Sahgal, Manish Maghlani, social workers Kishan Lal Yadav and Om Prakash Bhandari and other graced the occasion.
The brief handing over formality held in three batches of select people at a time at different timings to ensure social distance.
Freemasons of Telangana plan to extend financial support to the needy, poor traders, self-employed, petty businessmen, small-time workers who lost their income source due to COVID. It also plans to provide post-COVID survival skills to help people earn a better and more sustainable business for their living. Such genuinely needy people may get in touch with Assistant Regional Grand Masters Madan, Madhu, and Ram on 9848042020 for more information.
Media Contact: D. Ramchandram, Assistant Regional Grand Master, Freemasons of Telangana, Mobile: 9848042020.
