Overview

• The Ministry of Culture formalized three high-level committees through separate gazette notifications published on August 23 and August 25.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi is named as chair of each committee in the official notices.
• The panels will oversee commemorations for the 150th birth anniversaries of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Birsa Munda and the 100th birth anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
• The government has not released committee rosters, budgets, timelines or specific programme details at this stage.
• Background: Patel was independent India’s first home minister, Birsa Munda is honored as a tribal freedom icon, and Vajpayee served three terms as prime minister during which India conducted its 1998 nuclear tests.