Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will be the chief guests at the 59th annual Dhammachakra Pravartan Day to mark the mass conversion into Buddhism led by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar.
Union Minister for Agriculture Radha Mohan Singh, Maharashtra Energy Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Social Justice Minister Rajkumar Badole and former minister Shivajirao Moghe will also be present for the event at Deekshabhoomi here on October 22.
A number of Buddhist monks (Bhante) from Thailand, Japan, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Laos and other countries will also take part in the annual event, that will be held in the evening, Sadanand Fulzele, secretary of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Smarak Samiti, told reporters here.
The celebrations will begin on October 19 with a women's meet on Ambedkar's movement and thought, Fulzele said, adding that the Samiti had received donations of Rs 27 lakh last year.
