MUMBAI: It’s been one year since Prime Minister Narendra Modi nominated India Today Group chairman and editor in chief Aroon Purie to be a Clean India advocate. The India Today Group will be commemorating the honour with the India Today Safaigiri Singathon and Awards 2015.

The event will be held on 2 October, the first anniversary of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the keynote speaker and give away awards to the Clean India Champions.

Purie said, “I was delighted when the PM nominated me and The India Today group as an ambassador of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. A clean India is such a simple idea but a revolutionary one.  It will only succeed if all of us work to make it a movement. So many of our ills will be solved if we fix our sanitation. By one estimate it could increase our average per capita income by seven per cent. As a media group, we can play a role to raise awareness of this campaign and get people involved. Our first step is Safaigiri Singathon & Awards. Our aim is to work on an attitude change and bring viewers face to face with uncomfortable facts in an entertaining manner. I am glad that we are not just reporting   but   making a difference.”

India Today Safaigiri Singathon & Awards is a key initiative of the group’s efforts in realising the vision of Swachh Bharat and in recognising Clean Champions across the country. The Clean Champions are selected in 13 categories through a process of online entries, field work, and selection by a jury of eminent citizens.

The event will be highlighted by the Safai Singathon with singers and musicians performing through the day. The singers and musicians attending the daylong event include, Asha Bhosle, Kailash Kher, Daler Mehndi, Sonu Nigam, Hans Raj Hans, Papon and Udit Narayan. 

The Safai Singathon will be telecast on all four channels of the network namely India Today Television, Aaj Tak, Tez and Business Today for over eight hours non-stop Live on 2 October.