The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will light up 100 of its heritage monuments in colours of the national flag to mark 100 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses being administered in the country, officials said on Thursday.
Seventeen UNESCO World Heritage Sites including the Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Humayun Tomb, Tughlaqabad Fort, Purana Qila, Fatehpur Sikri Agra, Ramappa Temple, Hampi, Dholavira (Gujarat), ancient Leh Palace; Currency Building and Metcalf Hall in Kolkata; Khajuraho temples (MP), and Golconda Fort in Hyderabad are among the 100 monuments which will be illuminated in tricolour, the officials said.
This will be a tribute to health professionals, frontline workers, scientists, vaccine manufacturers and the citizens of the country who bravely fought the pandemic, they said. The officials said it is part of the activities being planned around the milestone across the country.
The cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country surpassed the 100-crore milestone on Thursday. In a tweet, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya congratulated the country on achieving the feat, and said it was the result of the able leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
According to official sources, around 75 per cent of India's all eligible adult population has been administered at least the first dose and around 31 per cent has received both the doses of the vaccine.