Biharis in Mumbai celebrated Bihar Day to mark the 113th foundation day of the state. The event, organised by the Bihar Foundation's Mumbai Chapter on Monday evening at the Bunts Hall, Juinagar, Navi Mumbai, also had the participation of Seva Foundation, Navi Mumbai, Navi Mumbai Maithil Trust, Sarvajanik, and Sanskrutik Mahotsav Trust, and Bhojpuri Welfare Association. Bihar Day, or Bihar Diwas, is observed on March 22, to mark the state's formation in 1912.
The event aimed to inform non-resident Biharis in Mumbai about the development work happening in the state, including the shift of government services online. Bihar Foundation's Chairman, Kaiser Khalid, noted that millions of Biharis reside in Mumbai, establishing their identity through hard work and contributing to the local economy.
Dignitaries, including Bihar Revenue and Land Reforms Minister Sanjay Sarawagi, Panvel MLA Prashant Thakur, Belapur MLA Manda Mhatre, Abhay Sinha, Vice Chairman of Bihar Foundation Mumbai, Secretary Sukhdev Sharma, Joint Secretary Sanjiv Kumar Dubey, and others, attended the event.
The evening's programme featured songs by Vidyapati, Bhikhari Thakur, and Mahendra Mishra, apart from Koli, Lavani, and Gondhal dances. The event also honored outstanding work by non-resident Bihari organisations. The audience was told about Bihar's progress, with its annual GDP growth rate surpassing the national average.
Bihar Foundation Mumbai Chapter's spokesperson, Manoj Singh Rajput, stated that the cultural heritage of Bihar and Maharashtra is rich and ancient. Bihar Day is a time to connect the cultures of the two states. Bihar Foundation works on bonding, branding, and business policy and serves as the diaspora cell of the Bihar government under the Department of Industries. Its patrons include Nitish Kumar, the Chief Minister of Bihar; Samrat Choudhary, the Deputy Chief Minister; and Nitish Mishra, the Industry Minister. The Chief Executive Officer, Kundan Kumar, is an IAS officer.
