Anna to lay foundation of school on 75th b'day

Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on Sunday said he will celebrate his 75th birthday on June 15 in Ahmednagar by laying the foundation stone of an English medium school for underprivileged children.

Though he did not prefer any elaborate birthday celebrations, he accepted the invitation of an Non-Governmental Organisation as it is for a social cause, the septuagenarian told PTI at Ralegan Siddhi, about 35 km from Ahmednagar, on Sunday.

Anna has been celebrating his birthday for the last five years with inmates of  Ahmednagar-based NGO Snehalaya, which runs a rehabilitation centre for HIV positive patients. It also runs rehabilitation projects for sex workers and their children, orphans and other underprivileged children.

To be built on the premises of NGO Snehalaya, the English medium school would provide free education to underprivileged children and those with special needs, NGO's trustee Milind Kulkarni said.

On the occasion, Anna will also hand over keys of houses to 10 women, who have left flesh trade and want to start life afresh. The NGO aims to provide houses to 100 rehabilitated women in the next two years, he said.

The NGO will organise the 'Amrut Mahotasav' ceremony on June 15 in the honour of the social activist, Kulkarni said.

Meanwhile, several NGOs here have decided to jointly distribute one lakh books about Anna's life and his message to youths, on the occasion.