LARKANA: The nine-day ‘Health, education, art and literature’ festival organised by the Sindhu Vaas Foundation (SVF) drew to an end on Tuesday with a ceremony attended by a large number of people from all walks of life in the Bhitai Adabi Hall of the Larkana Arts Council.

Among the other closing-day features was a free medical camp held in Bindee village (near Moenjodaro) — the birthplace of eminent Sindhi social scientist and revolutionary writer Comrade Sobho Gianchandani who died in Larkana on Dec 8, 2014 at the age of 94.

SVF president Jagdesh Ahuja and the comrade’s son, Engineer Nrimal Das, speaking to participants at the concluding ceremony announced construction of Sobho Gianchandani’s samadhi (memorial) within the village in coordination with the Comrade Sobho Foundation. They recalled that the Sindh government had, soon after the comrade’s demise, promised to build the samadhi within the landmark Jinnahbagh, but regretted that no further action in this regard had been taken since then.

They also announced establishment of a hospital in Bindee village soon for which the comrade had in his life earmarked a one-acre piece of land. On the eighth day of the festival, eminent scholar and writer Amar Jaleel spoke at a well-attended programme held in the Bhitai Adabi Hall through video link late on Monday evening.

Mr Ahuja told the audience that everyone should come forward to build a society based on positive thinking. He said his organisation focused on establishing schools and holding medical camps, art exhibitions and awareness lectures and would continue working for the promotion of education, peace, healthcare and fine arts.

Another main feature of Monday evening’s deliberations was a poetic session where eminent artists Rubina Abro, Neelam Baloch, Susheela Ahuja, Abid Khokhar, Jam Jamali, Mohammed Ali Pathan, Yasir Mangi, Shahmeer Soomro, Sarmad Chandio, Mustafa Unar and others presented their poetry. The session was followed by a musical programme in which singers Ashique Nizamani and Ashique Samo performed.

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2017